Wizards of the Millennia
by Stella Wind
Summary: [will be edited soon, yaoi] A Harry Potter YuGiOh crossover. Professor Albus Dumbledore is in Domino City, where he senses a powerful, destructive magic... An AU of the fifth year.
1. Ch 1: Sushi and Storms

A/N Well, here is a Harry Potter/Yu-Gi-Oh crossover. It might belong in other section, but since I am not certain of that, it is here. I know some things might not correspond. In fact with the Yu-Gi-Oh stuff, I am positive there are mistakes. Well, I only have the dubbed version to make do with, but I hope that soon I can at least see one of the subtitled shows.  
  
Yami Bakura: Yeah, then you'll want to see the next, then the next, then the next, the-- *Yami Bakura was then hit on the head.* Oww...  
  
Wind: This takes place after Battle City, so somethings might not be correct in a month. Here are the locations of the Millennium Items:  
  
Key or (also called) Ankh: Shadi  
  
Necklace or (also called, I think) Tauk: Isis  
  
Rod: Malik  
  
Eye: Ryou/Yami Bakura  
  
Ring: Ryou/Yami Bakura  
  
Puzzle: Yugi/Yami  
  
Scale: Unknown (well in that crypt place, but Yugi and Ryou don't know this and this is done from their point of view, mostly)  
  
Wind: Anyways, the Harry Potter things should be correct, but feel free to tell me if they aren't. Also I know I have likely made spelling, punctuation, and other errors, but I want to get this up now, so I haven't gone though this with a fine tooth comb.  
  
Wind: Okay it seems like I can't get italics, so this means it insead: *'Kay?* Yes, I know outside of the story I use it for stuff like Yami Bakura getting hit, but it is one of the better choices, in my opinion.  
  
The bit inside *some* of the stars, are thoughts, the first example is: *And most wizards think that only* they (little note: I put broke off the stars, to emphasize 'they') *have magic. This Muggle invention is just as good as the illusion I'm wearing right now. Maybe even better in some respects; these "holograms" cannot be broken by someone with a charmed magnet.*  
  
You should be able to decipher the words which I want emphasize, from the thoughts. Also, if there *are* italics, then blame this stupid computer. Well... thanks might be better, but oh well.  
  
One more thing, thank you very much for helping me with the early stages of this, you know who you are.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not Harry Potter, nor Yu-Gi-Oh.  
  
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Chapter One: Sushi and Storms  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Albus Dumbledore watched the holograms battle each other in interest. He was in Domino, Japan for a small break. Though this was mostly a business trip to Tokyo, he was taking a day off to see these holograms. It was some type of tournament, but Dumbledore was to wrapped up in his problems to enjoy it as he had originally planned. The International Confederation of Wizards (ICW) also like Fudge, would not believe Voldemort was back. The ICW was wonderful in times of peace, but when war broke out... Let's just say that Dumbledore would *not* be *at all* surprised, if when they finally did except Voldemort was back, if many of the ICW were found cowering beneath their desks.  
  
He sighed, he was here to relax not agonize. He had failed to convince them that Voldemort was back, and now the world may have to pay the price of that.  
  
Casting about for something to distract him from these dark thoughts, he once more watched the holograms. *And most wizards think that only* they *have magic. This Muggle invention is just as good as the illusion I'm wearing right now. Maybe even better in some respects; these "holograms" cannot be broken by someone with a charmed magnet.* He watched the game for a while and slowly picked up the rules. You used cards to represent the holos or something like that, the object seemed to be to bring your opponent's "life points" down to zero. It also seemed customary to insult your opponent.  
  
After a while Dumbledore smiled, and got up to go back to his hotel. However, his stomach had other ideas. So he made his way over to a small sushi stand; as he ordered his rice and sushi, he reflected on how he had leaned his Japanese. He had not been relishing the search to find someone who knew both English and Japanese, that did not charge an enormous amount of money. He had been quite surprised to find out that Sibyll Trelawney knew Japanese --naturally, with no help from magic-- making her a prefect person to brew the potion. Still it was rather odd, her knowing it. Then again, he supposed, you had to have something other than figure out way to predict death. Pondering why it was Japanese and not oh ... say Latin, Albus ate.  
  
Then a sudden change in lighting made Dumbledore look up. The sky had suddenly turned cloudy and as he gazed upward he saw lighting ark across the sky.  
  
*Awful fast, for a storm to blow in.* Then, the wave of magic hit him. *This is no *natural* storm. This is something...else...*  
  
He slapped down a tip on the table and ran. He could not get a definite trace on the magic, since it was for the most part air-born, and air magic was the hardest to trace; after sometime he a familiar tree and released that he had been running in circles, rather odd shaped lopsided circles, but circles nonetheless.  
  
He stood there, willing his legs to stop feeling as though they were made of jelly. He wondered what to do next. *This magic I felt is powerful. I think that --* Albus didn't finish that thought.  
  
Beneath him the ground shook, and he knew that this too, was no natural thing, like an earthquake. Although this time he only got the befits glimpse of it, he could tell this was very similar to the other magic he had sensed.  
  
There where differences, however, the other bit was no where near as destructive as this one. To Dumbledore, this was not good. *This is something Voldemort would love to get his hands on. I need to find it... If Voldemort got this before me... Unless it is his, and he is just testing it. Then again, this just does not have his feel of planning, for if it where him, he would test it in the most destructive way possible, also this magic feels untamed.*  
  
*But if he has this, and can control it... He would be next to unstoppable.*  
  
Dumbledore knew that trying to track the magic back to its source would be futile; he hailed a taxi. There still might be time for him to for him to figure this out, if he acted quickly enough. Once in the cab he told the driver to get him to WaterView, the hotel he was staying at, in less than fifteen minutes and she would get a substantial tip. The cabbie, seeing the old geezer's distress, agreed. After all there was something in it for her, and it was not often you got a chance like this. The car sped off.  
  
***  
  
When Dumbledore arrived at his hotel in seven minutes, he gave the driver the tip, the fare, and a bonus. Taking the elevator up Dumlbedore's plan of action was still half formed, but so far it was: get packed and go to Tokyo to have the Ministry of Magic there, have their Improper Use of Magic office check Domino, with their scanners running a *full* scan of the area. Dumbledore made a mental note to tell them to beef up their security, Voldemort might also try to figure out the magic, if it was not his.  
  
While they did the scan, because it would be a while until Dumbledore would have the results, he would go back to England. There, Albus planned to check with his sources.  
  
He hoped that this new wild, untamed magic was not some new devilry of Voldemort's. After that, it was hard to plan the course of action...  
In mid-August, Dumbledore got the findings of the scan back.  
  
It had *not* found the cause of the disturbance.  
  
However, what it had found was a small wonder in itself. It had, when it had scanned, uncovered three powerful wizards. It was quite a mystery, the report continued, why these three had not been found earlier  
  
Then in a sperate letter from the Japanese Minster of Magic, she asked that he teach at least one, preferable both. Dumbledore paused at that and went back to the other report. Evidently, one of them was from Egypt. This teen was only in Japan for a while, but it had been long enough that he had been ID. Dumbledore went back to the message. The main reason apparently, was that Japan's two schools of magic were overcrowded. Since he was, indirectly, the reason the two had been found, if he would accept one, preferably two of them at Hogwarts.  
  
Albus thought about that for a moment. *Hmm... I think I should, I have a strong feeling that that those three, not begin recognized earlier, are connected to that magic. It is a good idea to have them here, if nothing else, if this report is true, they could someday revile me, and Japan's schools are overcrowded. If I pull some strings, I think I can also be able to teach the Egyptian one too. To bad that this business with Fudge is not able to wrap up that easy.*  
  
He looked at Fudge's latest letter, with loathing. *This one is going to take some work to wriggle out off.* True to his word, Fudge had begun an inquiry of how Hogwarts was run. So far Dumbledore had managed to keep him form changing anything, but with each passing letter, he had more trouble keeping Fudge from changing the way the school was run. One of his earlier letters called for him to firer Snape, for begin a former Death Eater. This one boiled down to that Hogwarts, in comparison to other European schools, didn't have enough entertaining activates, there Hogsmeade visits were only three a year, and Quidditch.  
  
Dumbledore sighed and began to write a response, now that the matter of the three new wizards was for the most part settled, he could start to figure out who would be the new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor. Many candidates had applied, but not one had been right. He could not spare Lupin, who had taught it about two years ago; he was a werewolf to boot. And with the Minster hounding him like this that would be one of the worst moves he could make.  
  
Then, he remembered the proposal he had made a week ago, in jest. *I can spare that, but barely... Then again, if this goes on much longer, I can ill afford not to...*  
  
***  
  
In Japan, one spiky haired youth sighed.  
  
"Yami, I give up on this, I cannot concentrate. I just don't see why I'm supposed to do this!"  
  
"Nor do I," The spirit who was sitting on the bed answered, " the importance of reading 'Macbeth' is forever lost upon me, I fear. If you want tragedy, just look at the world around. Life is full of it, and I believe that you do not need to go adding to it."  
  
The boy smiled at the Pharaoh, "It is supposed to be educational. I think that it lost quite a bit in translation. That's one reason why...and this... feeling... I have..." Yugi sighed again, threw the book onto a nearby chair, and sat down the bed.  
  
"You mean that you have it to?" Yami looked at him intensely.  
  
"Yeah, it feels like...like there gonna be a second Battle City or something. I don't know; it could just be me being paranoid." Yugi sighed.  
  
Not if we both have it," The sprit got up a began to pace. "Just about all has been settled, the only thing I can think of is if Tomb Robber takes another try at world domination...Or Pegasus coming back out of hiding, still bent on bringing back his wife. But --fortunately-- neither is likely; and that book won't read itself."  
  
Yugi opened his mouth to begin to protest, but then thought better of it. Instead he replied, "Your right, it will happen when it is time."  
  
Yami smiled. But through out that day, neither could shrug that feeling off; both in their subconscious minds, knew that something earth shattering would soon happen.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Stella: So what didja think? I know it wasn't wondrous, but I hope it was at least good.  
  
Yami Bakura: I bet they thought it was a load of-- *is whacked, again*  
  
Wind: The next chappie should be up with in a week, all I have to do is type it. *sees looks of dismay* I have already down on paper! In fact today, we just used up all the paper in a notebook. This little monster is at 70 pages as is (of course, it will be less once typed).  
  
Stella: PLEASE, review!  
  
Yami Bakura: You are *so* pathetic...*is hit again* 


	2. Ch 2: Wrong Bottle

Wind: Thank you for all the reviews! Here are my responses kaoru: I forgot to say that most, not all of the story takes place after Battle City; the tournament that Dumbledore watched was Battle City's really late duels (how late? As late as possible). The magic that Dumbledore sensed was that of the god cards. I modeled it after the duel with the Silent One, and the duel soon afterwards with the other two Ghouls (Ghouls sounds much better than 'Rare Hunters' so I use it), when Kaiba use Obelisk to win the duel.  
  
Yugi/Yami have Ra and Osiris, and Kiaba has Obelisk, in this fic  
  
kaoru (continued): I don't *think* this fic will be yaoi, but that might change. I am not *planning* to pair Ryou up with anyone, but as before that could change; a lot of things have changed since I began to write this. But I *try* my best not to. And a girlfriend for Ryou would hamper some of the plot.  
  
Jamie: Thank you! HP/YGO crossovers are some of my favs, too.  
  
DarkSpellCaster: Thank you for your enthusiastic review, I didn't know you could write 12 hand written pages a day, 'til I started this. Now if only it would work for schoolwork.  
  
Cettie-girl: This story will be *interesting*, all right... I hope it will be in the way you mean.  
  
Silver Angel: Your review helped quite a bit in that department. Glad you liked how I started it, Dumbledore feeling the god cards world-wrecking power was the idea that sparked it all.  
  
Fallen Dragon: I'll try to update often.  
  
Stella: Wind, let me take it from here, you go get the popcorn.  
  
Wind: 'Kay.  
  
Stella: Anonymous: I didn't know that it was possible to write all of that either. And the real puzzle of it all is why I wrote it all on paper, when there was a perfectly nice computer, not more than ten meters away from where we did most of the writing. Go figure...  
  
Nightmare Crow: We write them, but this is the first one we've have posted.  
  
Death Demon: Not that bad a review...for a kid brother. And for one who has never even written a chapter.  
  
Stella: One small power of the rod that we made up, is that it's size can change to what ever is convenient, but the size must be between 7 inches (about 18 cm.) to 4 feet (about 140 cm).  
  
Wind: *she has come back, glowering darkly,* You didn't tell me we were out of popcorn, nor that Yami was in there with a dozen cans of cola.  
  
Stella: Really? * tries to look innocent, but fails horribly*  
  
Wind: *rolls her eyes, but lets that lie* We hope everyone is in character. I tried, but... *glares at Stella* Italics still aren't uploading so same drill as last time. Stars mean them.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, and if you think I own Yu-Gi-Oh, your even crazier than Yami Malik--*whamf* Owww...  
  
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Chapter Two: Wrong Bottle  
  
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Dumbledore was looking over all the information he had been sent, on the three new students he had excepted.  
  
On the Egyptian boy, Malik Ishtal, there was not much, just official Muggle documents, and a report that it seemed he was majorly grounded, not even let out of the house.  
  
For the first of the Japanese teens, there was some more, but not much. However, for him at least, there was pictures. Ryou Bakura was originally from England, it seemed. He had moved away before he could receive his Hogwarts' letter.  
  
*Or not have been on the list at all*, he thought, before shaking his head slightly. Not even *Voldemort* could change the list; goodness knew he had tried, to keep the Muggleborns or as he called them 'Mudbloods', out of Hogwarts.  
  
Dumbledore went back to the report. It said that of the three, Ryou Bakura was the last to be found. Though his magic was strong, it was like a flame on a windy day, quickly gone or hidden. If one of the workers had not seen the pattern, it was probable that he would have not have been found.  
  
For pictures, there was one picture that bore the air of a school photo and one newspaper clipping. White long hair, was one thing that caught your eye immediately. In the newspaper article, it was likely a slow news day, so this had made front page. It was... unlikely that Ryou Bakura had been able to live this one down.  
  
The picture showed Ryou and another child planting a tree, for some type of environmental thing. He looked to be about ten. Now that normally would not have been at all bad, but for caption:  
  
*Here Ryou Bakura and Andrew Balk are planting a white oak. Andrew digging, with her holding the tree up right.*  
  
While it may have been a simple typo, it had not been a good spot for one. The professor shook his head and smiled, a bit amused; he counted on with the report.  
  
Evidently, this boy would likely be the one who took the revelation about wizards the best. He often visited an occult store. Dumbledore hoped that he would, except it and make good choices.  
  
Yugi Motuo was the last. The term last, but not least could certainly apply to him; besides having the most amount of info on him, Motuo also seemed to love games, and to have rarely lost one. His favorite game seemed to be that holographic one Dumbledore had watched, before sensing the magic.  
  
His appearance was...interesting... He had thought that Ryou Bakura looked odd. Not that Albus thought that this was bad, Au contra, he though that there odd styles might mean that there were open mind. Still Yugi's foot long spikes of hair were going to cause quite a few stares.  
  
He stroked Fawkes, wondering how to approach them.  
  
***  
  
Isis Ishtal had just come home from work. First thing she did was of course to check on Malik.  
  
She found him still picking through his closet. "Haven't found it yet, I see," She said leaning against the wood doorway.  
  
Malik shook his head. "Nope, not found, yet..." Malik trailed off as he dived for something in the mess.  
  
Isis too, shook her head, bemused. "I told you this would happen when your cleaning method is shoving all out of sight. Look, how about we go to the library later and pick up a copy?"  
  
Malik's eyes lit up. It was rare that he was offered a chance to get out of the house, these days. In fact, he could count the times he had been allowed out side of the house on one hand: zip. But that did not mean that he never went out of the house, just meant he wasn't allowed and his chances were limited to stolen time, most of which was spent looking over his shoulder.  
  
"I'll take that as a yes." Isis smiled at him, and went down to the kitchen to cook dinner. Just as she had finished draining the pasta, the doorbell rang.  
  
*Who could that be? We aren't expecting anyone.* She had her hand on the brass doorknob, thinking, *Ah, probably just some salesman.*  
  
What she saw next stunned her. Standing there was an old man with long white hair. *In robes.* Robes that were quite reminiscent of what the Ghouls whore. Now robes in the Middle East aren't that uncommon, but *purple* ones are.  
  
"Ah...you must be Mr. Ishtal's sister."  
  
When Isis heard "Mr. Ishtal", still stunned, instinct and reflexes took over. "Malik is right now grounded. Indefinitely." Isis said firmly, and shut the door in the old man's face. Then she ran up the wood stairs, talking them two and three at a time, up to Malik's room.  
  
Malik was still sorting through his closet's mess. //Yes, blame it on the closet, everything that ever happened to you was something else's fault. Take your revenge...// his yami whispered, more out of desperation than anything, before he clamped down on him.  
  
*Thunk, thunk, thunk.* Malik heard his sister's hurried steps on the stairs. His door was thrown open.  
  
"Malik," she panted.  
  
*Ding, ding, ding, ding.* The doorbell rang.  
  
Malik looked at her, and saw her face pale and tense, go tenser at that. His missing book could wait. When Isis was like this, something big was up.  
  
"What is it?" he asked and stood up, while she caught her breath.  
  
"Did any of the Ghouls have real long white beards, and were really old?"  
  
"No..." said Malik, wondering what it could be this time.  
  
"Did you have a help wanted ads or anything out there?" quickly asked Isis.  
  
"No, it wasn't structured like that."  
  
The doorbell rang again.  
  
"He's persistent..." Isis muttered darkly.  
  
"Who?" Malik dared to ask.  
  
"There is an old man who was asking for you, well, I guess it was to ask for you," she saw Malik's raised eyebrow. "he called me 'Mr. Ishtar's sister'. He was wearing robes," Isis broke off again as the door bell rang, again, "I guess it could be innocent... He could just have a warpped idea of dark colors..." she said, doubt coloring her tone. "Come on, let's go see, but keep your guard up."  
  
Malik shut the door behind them, as the doorbell rang again, still a bit baffled. The siblings where in the entrance's small hallway, when Isis noticed that Malik had his rod in plain sight.  
  
"Malik, I think it would be for the best if you kept that hidden."  
  
He nodded and complied.  
  
Mr. Ishtal's sister opened the door again. Albus gave her a slight smile. Isis made no move to return it. This might be harder than he initially thought, from the way she was behaving, Malik had gotten in major trouble.  
  
Isis stepped aside; Malik Ishtal, had been standing behind her. Both he and Albus, still standing outside the threshold to the house, studied the other. Blonde and lavender eyed, with him begin Egyptian, was odd. But he could just be dyeing his hair, or one of their parents was foreign. Isis stood between them as though she was referring the staring match.  
  
After a moment, Malik shook his head minutely.  
  
Isis nodded. "Please, come in," she softly said.  
  
Albus walked in. "My name is Professor Albus Dumbledore."  
  
The Ishtal's house's main colors were sand, and a blue water like color, for accents. Full bookcase lined the walls, with books such as, *Life of the Egyptians from 3100-3000 B.C.E., Seti I: a Pharaoh of Red, and The Upper Kingdom's Treasures*, it was obvious to see one person's passion.  
  
Isis lead them to the living room; with the coffee table covered with books and charts, the mail on top of it, and chairs with pillows on them and afghans throw over the back's, it had an air off organized mess so much like Albus own office.  
  
"Sit," she told him, "would you like anything to drink?"  
  
"Yes, some water, if it is not to much trouble." He said sitting down. He studying the charts on the table, a bit perplexed. They seemed to list all the pharaohs of the Old Kingdom. She seemed to be checking each of the pharaohs names, with possible pronunciations. One chart underneath, that Albus could see part of seemed to list the deaths.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry," Isis said sweeping over, "that's a little pet project of mine that I'm working on," Hurriedly she swept the books and papers up. "Malik, " she said, as she deposited the research on to a near by chair, "Water?" She sat.  
  
"What? Oh..." Malik went out of the room, and running water could be hurried, with the clicking of glass, though the silence, in which she and the Professor looked at each other.  
  
"Here," said Malik, giving Dumbledore his water, and handing Isis a glass of orange juice, and he sat down with a bottle for himself.  
  
"Why, thank you," Isis said, surprised by this unexpected gesture.  
  
Until she saw the what was in the bottle he had for himself. Beer.  
  
"*Malik...*" she said threw clenched teeth, that did not diminish the warning in her tone.  
  
"Hmmpf," Malik said and went back out, to the kitchen.  
  
"Sorry about that, Professor. Malik was..."  
  
"Was being a normal teenager, goodness knows I, in my youth, tried to pull tricks like that." Dumbledore sipped his water.  
  
"It is not just that. Recently, he... fell into the wrong crowd..."  
  
Dumbledore could tell there was more, but decided this might not be the best time to ask.  
  
"What Isis means," Malik had returned, with a glass of chocolate milk, " is that I'm in big trouble currently, and she automatically assumes any one who asks for me, who she doesn't know, she uses the guilty by association rule."  
  
Isis glared at him, but said nothing.  
  
"Ah...er, I can assure you I have had nothing to do with that." Dumbledore stopped, unsure how to continue; it had been years since he had last done this.  
  
"Then why are you here?" Malik demanded, setting his glass on the table with a thunk, and fold his hands. Overall Dumbledore got the impression of impatience for him.  
  
"Malik," Isis said, her tone once more warning.  
  
"Sorry," Malik muttered rebelliously.  
  
Isis raised a dark eyebrow at him. It was rather odd that one was dark haired, and green-eyed, while the other was almost the exact opposite. One thing that they both shared in there coloring was skin the color of copper, without the red tint. *Eh. I am delaying it... I used to do this every summer back when I was the Transfiguration Professor.*  
  
"Malik," Dumbledore said, putting his glass down, interrupting the little power struggle, "you're a wizard."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Wind: Not that big of a cliffie. Next chappie should be out by Monday, if not sooner.  
  
Yami Bakura: Two chapters, and still no me! It is unfair, it's tyranny--  
  
Stella: This from a guy you tried to take over the world?  
  
Yami Bakura: Err...  
  
Stella: Please review!!! And does anyone have any idea how to get italics up?????? 


	3. Ch 3: Golden Butterfly

Wind: Responses to reviews. Lady Foeseeker:Here is more.  
  
Evily-braty: I think the others (the other yamis) would REALLY hurt me if I didn't. I have also got a lot of plot for this thing, and I'm not giving up on that.  
  
Cattie-girl: I think this is sooner than you thought...  
  
DarkSpellCaster: Thanks... and Yami DSC good luck against the sugar.  
  
Anonymous: Mine is sort of like that.  
  
Stella: Here is three.  
  
Disclaimer: See last chapter.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter Three: Golden Butterfly  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Dumbledore used one of the straight foward approach, that was often used when one got tried of tiptoeing around the subject. You just came right out and told them they were a wizard.  
  
"What?" Malik said, his expression and tone... next to unreadable.  
  
"Huh?" Isis, too, was unreadable, Albus was more than a little surprised.  
  
"You have magical abilities." Dumbledore said, watching the two closely.  
  
Isis and Malik exchanged a look.  
  
"Excuse me Professor, did you just say that Malik has magic?" Isis asked, her voice now where near as shocked as most Muggles.  
  
"Yes, I did," Albus told the Egyptian woman.  
  
"How did you know?" Isis's eyes narrowed, "What are they?"  
  
Albus was surprised, but pleasantly so, at how well she was taking it. " There was a magic detector that found him while it was searching for the cause of another disturbance, but it sensed him as it was doing its sweep. As for his powers, it might be different from you think. Wizards *are* better at different things, but all have *basical* abilities."  
  
Isis and Malik once more exchanged a look, and Albus wished those looks where all about. Then Isis nodded and Malik nodded back.  
  
"I am willing to suspend belief, for now, if you show us some magic." He began to fiddle with something in his pocket.  
  
Dumbledore nodded, and took out his wand; then paused "Could I borrow something that who don't mind loosing, if I don't do the spell right?" he asked in an amused tone, at his own forgetfulness, "I seem to have misplaced the stone I was going to use."  
  
Isis looked at him, and nodded, curtly. She took off one of her bracelets, and put it on the table.  
  
Dumbledore took it, with slight surprise to find that it was really gold by its weight, not something most people would considered expandable. He pointed his wand and said, "*Papilio esto.*" The band of gold became a beautiful golden butterfly. "Sorry," he said look at the butterfly, with a trace of disgust. *And I was the Transfiguration professor... I need to practice more often*, Dumbledore thought, "it was *supposed* to be a Monarch, but it has been a while since I've done that."  
  
Malik and Isis both looked like normal Muggles with their first encounter of magic, wide eyed and jaws open.  
  
"Joking..." Malik said, looking at it shaking his head, "Joking..."  
  
"I'll transform it back into bracelet now. I think that convinced you." Dumbledore made a move to catch winged golden shimmer, but Isis stopped him.  
  
"No, let it be," Isis said, as she watched it settle onto a vase of flowers on a shelf above a window-seat.  
  
"Is all magic this carefree and innocent?" asked Malik, sounding suspicious, "Is this bit special designed to lull people in to acceptance, while the true core is much darker?"  
  
Dumbledore was amazed by the young man's insight, however wrong it might be. It proved that Malik was a quick thinker, a trait that was going to be very useful if Voldemort was not stopped soon. "No, it is not all so nice... I won't sugar coat the truth for you, I admit such innocent spells like that are used to show magic the first time, but the are the more common spells."  
  
Malik looked at him, head tilted slightly to one sided, body language clearly saying, 'go on,'.  
  
"There is darker magic, and Dark wizards. One of them is right now on the rise, again. He is intent on ruling the world."  
  
"R-really?'" Isis asked, her face pale.  
  
"Yes," Dumbledore said gravely.  
  
"What does this wizard look like?" Isis said her eyes once more narrowed.  
  
"He has red eyes--" Dumbledore began.  
  
"Black Dragon," Malik said, snickering slightly.  
  
Isis just rolled eyes. "Red eyes...? Hair--"  
  
"None, Voldemort is bald." Dumbledore interrupted her.  
  
"Oldewart? Oldie Court?" Malik exclaimed, "What type of name is *that*?"  
  
Isis glared at him.  
  
"Oldie Warts..." Dumbledore said thoughtfully, "That is not even a third as intimidating..."  
  
"Back to the subject," Isis said, "he has red eyes and no hair?"  
  
Dumbledore nodded, still smiling at 'Oldie Warts'.  
  
Isis sat back, in what seemed to be relief...  
  
"How long has this Voldemort guy been around?" Malik asked suddenly serious.  
  
"Well, he was born over sixty years ago..." Dumbledore said, noticing that Malik too, relaxed. Odd.  
  
"Well," Isis interrupted, "I shall admit this is rather a lot to except in one day..." Isis said, and stopped as the butterfly flew over her head. "Uhh... why have you come to tell us this anyway?" Isis said still a bit tense, but not as much as earlier.  
  
"As I said before, Malik is a wizard, and a powerful one at that. I am the headmaster of a school for wizards... Hogwarts."  
  
"Hogwarts," Malik said, incredulous, "Hogwarts. That is worse than Voldiecourt."  
  
"Hogwarts was what one of the founders of it said the site looked like. It was, according to legend, after three weeks of rain, the end fall and very gloomy. Of course after a thousand years, the castle has improved." Dumbledore said.  
  
"Mhh... So about this school?" Isis asked.  
  
"Your brother, Malik, has what seems to have quite a bit of power. I am quite surprised that it has not been known before, people never slip though like that until now..." Dumbledore trailed off, and took another sip from his almost forgotten glass of water.  
  
When Albus looked up again, he saw Malik looking at the butterfly. Malik stood up and walked softly over to the flowers it hovered about. Ever so gentle, he scooped it out of the air, and walked back over. Wordlessly, once the golden wings stopped beating frantically in protest, he took his right hand away; so that it still preached on his left hand, but was free to fly away.  
  
However before it could, Isis touched one wing lightly. "What you are proposing is, that Malik goes to this school of yours and learns magic like this?" Isis gestured to the butterfly which now flew about.  
  
"Not just that," Albus said as he watched Malik stare off into space, "also Potions, Herbology, Charms, History of Magic, Astronomy, and Defense Against the Dark Arts."  
  
"Malik...you have been able to keep your ya-, self under control... It is mostly up to you..." Isis said, looking as though she was doing something she was afraid might backfire.  
  
"I... I..." Malik was dumbfounded at this sudden freedom. "I think I do want to go, or least check this out."  
  
Dumbledore nodded "Caution is wise. Here are some books on the wizarding world. These three are about it in general, this one is about Hogwarts, and this last one," his voice was devoid of humor, "is about the most current dangers of begin a wizards."  
  
Isis nodded, her hand already upon the last.  
  
"I shall send another professor by within a week, to take you shopping for your supplies, if you're still so mind. Dumbledore said preparing to leave. He pulled an envelope he added "Here is your acceptance letter to Hogwarts." He handed the letter to Malik.  
  
"Would I have to get a new wardrobe?" Malik eyed Dumbledore's robe.  
  
"Yes, or at least the uniform,"  
  
"Then count me in, I think." Malik said, peeling off the seal to the letter.  
  
"Here Professor," Isis said, putting down the book. "let me show you out."  
  
She walked with Dumbledore to the door. "Sir, " she began, as he was about to leave, "I already told you that Malik fell into the wrong crowd, but he also has a bit of any anger control problem..."  
  
"Ahh..." the old man said, "I understand, don't worry overly much. It would not be much of a school if we did not have means to deal with these type of things. We have even hired a councilor this year."  
  
"That may be so, but please, if he gets really mad..." *If he gets really mad, his yami might destroy the school, before Malik can get him under control...*  
  
I need to go," said Albus breaking the silence, "Meeting." Then with a wave of his wand and a word, he disappeared.  
  
Just as he saw the Ishtal residence blink out of view, he could not help but hope that Hagrid was having as much luck with Yugi Motuo and Ryou Bakura.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Wind: Yes this one is a bit shorter than the other two, but I though this was the best break off point. Yes, I like the idea of a fashion conscious Malik, after all finding that gorgeous shade of lavender shirt to match his eyes must take some work.  
  
Stella: 6_9 Typing, must type... Must type... Oh ... done... All this in one day (odd way to spend spring break), *shakes head* My Ra.  
  
Wind: Err...You don't seem to be in any condition to ask so I will. Please review... Stella, you sure you'll be okay?  
  
Stella: Yes... Oh look ... fairies...  
  
Wind: -_- And does anyone have any idea how to get italics up???????????????????? 


	4. Ch 4: Letters and Yamis

Stella: Thank you for a grand total of 17, *17* reviews ^__^  
  
Wind: She is ecstatic about them, so we're going to try to put up another chapter.  
  
Stella: ^___^  
  
Wind: In this I think Yami might be a bit overprotective, but I could be wrong...Yes, the butterfly may have been a bit over done, but this was Isis and Malik's first encounter of magic that wasn't really shadow realm. It shocked them both to their *bas*.  
  
Stella: English, please.  
  
Wind: ~_~ You haven't been reading those books have you?  
  
Stella: Nope!  
  
Wind: -_- *Ba* is any Egyptian term for a part of a person's soul--  
  
Stella: Part?  
  
Wind: Read these, *throws some books in her general direction * You should have been reading them last night. After we put that chapter up *Sighs* -_- I am not sure how much of this I can handle; I have never really trusted computers...  
  
Yami Malik: Yeah, there *so* easy to fool.  
  
Yami Bakura: *he mutters* Your to fool...  
  
Yami Malik: What did you say?  
  
Yami Bakura: Nothing, nothing.  
  
Yami Malik: Liar! * he tackles Yami Bakura*  
  
Wind: -_-u You would think after a millennia, he would learn have out grown that habit of going and insulting people behind their backs, when their backs are less than three feet away.  
  
Yami Bakura: Well, you, ow, haven't --OWWWWW! *Wind has now joined the forry*  
  
Stella: Why do I feel like the only mature one here? Anyway *she moves away from the cloud of dust* I loved all the reviews. Thanks! Here are my responses:  
  
DarkSpellCaster: Err ... with this chapter include I have typed up about 25 of the pages.  
  
Nemi: Thanks, glad you like the way I write Malik.  
  
kaoru: Unfortunately, *snicker* that is about what happens.  
  
Cettie-girl: Thanx, first Yugi than Bakura!  
  
TeeDee: Thank you for your review!  
  
FluffCat: I'm glad you think this you think this is unique, Wind was rather concerned about trying to do that. This will have some romance later, but not as one of the main facets of the story. This is not going to abandoned, not after all the research we have done on it. And Wind said Yami was *insintant* on continued this so don't worry.  
  
Silver Angel: I have very little about what he was like when he was little, so most of this was educated guesses.  
  
Nightmare Crow: Sorry, but Malik, nor his yami are going to kill Dumbledore.  
  
Neko Moon Goddess: Here is next chappie.  
  
Yohko Kiyoto: Thanks, I had some difficulty with the titles and even thought some were rather lame. That reveiw made my day. (that and HP movie)  
  
Chaos Knight: My first reaction to his name, for the most part, that and SUGAR!!!  
  
Rosz of the Angel: Continued...  
  
Stella: *looks and sees the three are *still* fighting* Here's four, and to all of you who sent in how to do italics; I'll try them when it isn't 11:30. So italics still are like this: *word* Sorry. We use the following Japanese names because they sound much better:  
  
Anzu/Tea  
  
Honda/Tristan  
  
??????/Joey, since I can't spell it all that well, I won't use it.  
  
Isis/Izicuch? (something like that)  
  
Malik/Marik  
  
Disclaimer: See last chappie. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter Four: Letters and Yamis  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Solomon Motuo was sweeping the shop's sidewalk in preparation for opening. Though business was not as good as it was during Battle City, the game shop was doing well.  
  
A shadow fell over him. He turned around, expecting an early customer to be there. "Hello, can I help--" He saw whose shadow it was. A huge man stood there, dwarfing a him. "AHHHGGGGHHHHHH!"  
  
Ever since that burglar had broken the week before, he had been a bit jumper than usual. Also the man's size didn't help.  
  
"Uh, shop isn't open yet!" Solomon Motuo yelled as he ran into the game shop. There a couple of clicks that sounded suspiciously like a lock locking.  
  
Hagrid sighed, he could tell this was not going to a really easy one. He knocked one the door again. "Are you Solomon Motuo? I'm here to see Yugi Motuo."  
  
Yugi's grandpa was debating whether or not he should call down Yugi or not. If it was dangerous, Yugi might be able to handle it, but then again maybe not. And if there was even some danger, *he* would not be able to handle it. Yugi saved him a decision.  
  
"What's all this yellin' 'bout?" he said coming down the stairs. Obviously he had just woken up, his jeans were winkled--  
  
*Must not have been put away correctly* Solomon though, with a mental sigh.  
  
--his hair not been cared for, and to complete the picture, his shirt was on backwards.  
  
"Some man is out there, asking for you, he is--" Solomon was cut off.  
  
Yugi ever ready to confront danger, had opened the door. "Eek," was all he said.  
  
Hagrid saw the door open, and Yugi Motuo, in the flesh, for the first time. He was *small*. Little shrimp, was one description that came to mind. His hair was truly bazaar. Then almost like magic, he seemed more confident. Then he blanched again.  
  
*Probale just waking up.* Hagrid concluded. Maybe this was one those case were it was best to give them their letter and come back later. " 'Ere" Hagrid said gruffly, pulling an envelope from his great coat. "I was asked to give this to yeh."  
  
"Err...thank you..." Yugi said, taking it with great caution.  
  
"I'll back in two hours." Hagrid said and walked off, leaving a shocked Yami on the threshold of the door, holding a letter  
  
***  
  
\Yami, don't you think your begin just a little paranoid?\ Yugi asked.  
  
\\No\\ Yami replied back, \\Not at all.\\  
  
This would be strange to most people, having an only gods knew how old pharaoh sharing your body, but to Yugi, what this only gods knew how old pharaoh was doing was strange.  
  
\Yami that was *movie.* things just don't work like that in the real world,\ Yugi plead with him.  
  
The day before he, Anzu, and Bakura, had gone over to Honda's house, and had watched a bunch of old spy movies. With both Yugi and Bakura's yamis out. Though Yami had spent most off his time insulting 'Tomb Robber', he had, from the looks of things, seen at least part of one.  
  
The looks of things involved: Yami in full possession of the body, on his stomach, holding a broom with a letter opener tied tightly to the end of it. The envelope lay five feet away. Yami was trying to open it with the broom's attachment. Yami thought that it was either poisoned or a bomb. Yugi refrained from mentioning that if it were a bomb, these precautions wound not help. He had for so odd reason a mental image of Yami using a fifty foot stick to open it.  
  
\\Remeber two nights ago when you said that you felt something big was going to happen? I have a feeling this message is dangerous. And I think that you should always trust your feelings. Damn, almost had it that time...\\  
  
\And I feel this is silly,\Yugi thought, and did something he rarely did: taking back the body, by force.  
  
With a sigh at his yami's over protectiveness, he went over to the letter and opened it, heedless of Yami's protests. He read there shocked them both into silence.  
  
"Dear Mr. Motuo:  
  
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry...  
  
***  
  
At the appointed time, Hagrid went back to the game shop. Yugi was waiting outside, bouncing, almost.  
  
"Hey," chirped the spike haired boy, "So, this real? Magic and all, I mean I saw that cool moving photo, but that could have just been some *very* fancy holograms." Yugi had been coached by Yami on what to say; Yami had been able to sense the magic of the photo when he held it. The magic had differed from anything he had ever sensed before, so Yami was going to take most of it at face value, but was going to watch it all very closely. They had also agreed it would not be best to mention the Millennium Items, unless asked about them.  
  
"Yeah, you seem to be taking this rather well," Hagrid observed.  
  
"Well, my friends say that I'm a bit gullible, but I like to think I'm open minded." Yugi said.  
  
The kid, to Hagrid, looked so innocent with those big wide eyes, that he could see why some thought him gullible. However, Hagrid remembered earlier, and so he concluded differently.  
  
"Ah... Well, since you seem to be taking this so well, I guess you'll need these. Oh yeah, my name is Hagrid" Hagrid said, pulling out the five stander books given to new Muggleborn wizards.  
  
"What are those for?" Yugi asked, perplexed, and pointed at them.  
  
"These are about 'magic and all'," Hagrid said and handed the books to Yugi. "once you finished these you will probable have more questions,"  
  
"Likely" Yugi agreed "Curiosity is one of my major traits, in fact I'll bet I'll have a dozen more questions in an hour."  
  
"Well, how about this. I have to tell another boy all this stuff, too. That will take a while. Then I come back here with him and answer both of your questions. That sound good?" Hagrid asked.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Stella: Sorry this chapter is so short, T_T But the Harry Potter movie came out today!!! ^_^ I don't like some parts, but I love how they did *some* of the wardrobe. I hate how they did the students robes though. _  
  
Wind: *Yami Bakura now beat to a pulp* Done!  
  
Stella: And you were made out of my gentleness and kindness????  
  
Wind: I LOVED how the did Tom. *sighs*  
  
Stella: I don't want to know. I won't be going really in depth on most of their reaction to the wizard's world, sorry, but we have *plans* for this, so I want to get to the action.  
  
Anyway, I will be likely slowing down on chapter updates, 1 every three days, I think, but as my typing gets faster, that may change. Your reviews inspire me so the more reviews written, the faster each chappie comes. 


	5. Ch 5: Coffee is Normal

Stella: Thanks for all the reviews:  
  
Neko Moon Goddess, sk, and Arian Starswing: Thank you!!!! ^_^  
  
Nemi: *sighs* That is what happens when your doing the edit job around midnight.  
  
Cettie-girl: Wish I had the DVD; the VHS doesn't have those scenes, the only thing I saw that I didn't see at the theater, was the end, and that could have been because I didn't wait out those five plus minutes of credits.  
  
kaoru: Thanks for Jounouchi.  
  
Rosz of the Angel: No, still have to type them, the movie came out on videocassette that day.  
  
Anonymous: There is reason, for Yami being odd. Wish they did that scene too.  
  
FluffCat: Thanks, I thought that it rather an obvious plan of action. I didn't write Hagrid's accent because he is speaking in Japanese, once they go to Hogwarts I shall try. This one is longer. I HATE THE UNIFORMS! *shudders*  
  
DriudessQueen: No, English is not my second language, it just feels like that from 10:00 PM- 2:30 AM (the times I typed most of that). I might take you up on that Beta offer.  
  
DarkSpellCaster: Gosh... Thanks. Sugar? Where?  
  
Wind: NOOOO!!!! * locks Stella in cage* Anyway, this story is right now one of the major things for us, so it won't be abandoned, it might be delayed some, but not abandoned....  
  
Disclaimer: See last chappie. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter Five: Coffee is Normal  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Ryou had a problem; though his yami had stopped trying to rule the world, he still wanted his slice of pie. And more.  
  
So far Bakura had managed to persuade him for being a master diamond thief, a politician, and monopolizing some part of the economy. The spirit had to have something to take his aggression out on.  
  
*Well, at least it is not* me *he's hitting...* Ryou thought, as he picked up a pillow. Still to Bakura this wasn't that much of a comfort, as he trailed in his yami's wake, righting chairs, and putting the books back on the bookshelves.  
  
*Ding-dong*  
  
*Dad's not supposed to be home for another five hour...* His yami went back to Bakura, and took over with not even a 'by your leave.'  
  
*As usual...* Ryou sighed, and retreated to his soul room.  
  
Yami Bakura opened the door.  
  
Yugi couldn't tell who answered the door, after all Yami Bakura had been able to fool him for quite a bit of Battle City. The only real hint was that his eyes were bulging at the site of Hagrid.  
  
"I know yesterday," he began, looking apprehensively at the giant, "we were both threatening each other, but don't you think your taking this just a bit to serious?" Yami Bakura didn't really think it was that, after all, Yami was so noble some days it was ridiculous, but...  
  
*Yami Bakura then.* Yugi decided. "Bakura, that's not it. He needs to tell you something rather important. Could we come in?" Yugi said, and watch what to most people would think him considering it, but in reality it was he and Ryou switching.  
  
"Sure," he said and turned to see what his yami had done. "Uhh... mind the mess, I know it looks like a mad man has been though here," Bakura winced, "I mean a tornado,"  
  
"That's fine," Hagrid said, as Ryou righted the chairs in the kitchen. Hagrid cleared his throat, "You see what I have to tell, you is that you're a wizard,"  
  
"Pardon me?" Bakura said, looking rather confused.  
  
"Your are wizard," repeated Hagrid,  
  
"That what I thought you said." Bakura muttered, then he analyzed what Hagrid said, "What?" He looked at Yugi, who nodded.  
  
"Really! Look at this," Yugi said, he pulled out the moving photo, and gave it to Ryou, who held it in shock.  
  
\\Oh my... Ryou, please, may I take over?\\ His yami felt the magic, though no were near --in terns of power-- the Millennium Items, it was *real*.  
  
Ryou's jaw dropped, first this magic stuff and now his *yami asking please!* \S-s-sure,\ he told his yami in shock.  
  
Yami Bakura suppressed a shake of is head; if little Ryou couldn't figure out the reason behind the formality, it wasn't his concern. After all was rather simple: this was a type of magic he had never seen before, and if this type had a way to remove sprits like him, he could be in trouble. It would be no problem for the pharaoh, he treated his light better than himself. But for the tomb raider, it would be an understatement to say he treated his host bad; one word that described what Yami Bakura had done to Bakura would be abuse. Honey catches more flies than vinegar, so a saying went. But in this case, it was definitely a good thing that Ryou couldn't read his mind.  
  
Luckily, Hagrid took the astonishment that Ryou had shown before Yami Bakura had taken over, for the astonishment at photo.  
  
"Here is one more," Hagrid said, taking out a photo of about a dozen people on broomsticks.  
  
Yami Bakura felt it pulsing slightly, beneath his hand. The magic was very different from anything he had ever felt before. The magic he felt in it convinced him that this magic was no trick. That would also mean that it was likely that some broom did fly, which was also quite interesting.  
  
"Hagrid, could you show us some more magic?" asked Yugi.  
  
"Okay, here it goes." Hagrid pulled out a pink umbrella. Yami Bakura and Yugi exchanged a look, which clearly said, 'Okaaay'. "*Wingradem Levosia,*" he said and the table they had been sitting around roe up.  
  
"Cool!" Yugi said, smiling.  
  
"*Oh my gods...*" whispered the tomb robber, loud enough for only Yugi hear clearly, "*so this* is *another brand of magic...*"  
  
"Yep," Hagrid said, having only heard the word 'magic.' "Magic. I'm here to ask you if you which to attend a school."  
  
"A school of magic...?" Yami Bakura said, shocked still.  
  
"Yep, Hogwarts,"  
  
"Hogwarts? That is name, that is interesting..." Yami Bakura said, trying not to insult them, after all, 'twas a different brand of magic...  
  
"I know name is odd, but it is one of the best in the world."  
  
"You mean it is only one of many?" Yami Bakura asked, wondering just how many wizards there where.  
  
"Yep,"  
  
"Where is it?" Yami Bakura inquired.  
  
"England," Hagrid said,  
  
Both where uneasy, after all England was half way across the world. "Uh... why England? Err... what I mean if there are other schools why do we need to go to England?" Yugi wondered.  
  
"Because Japan's schools are over crowded."  
  
"Oh... but I don't speak English..." Yugi said disappointed.  
  
"That is fine, magic can take care of that."  
  
"Really?" Yugi asked, perking up.  
  
\\The attitude he preformed that at seemed to be like it was rather simple, but just think how that could be used offensively.... Hovering ten feet off the ground could rather easily distract someone.\\ Yami was quite shocked by Hagrid's little demonstration.  
  
\Yeah...\  
  
\\There are quite a few more spells I shall bet, that are termed as simple, but can be used offensively with little or no adaptation..\\  
  
"Yep, a potion is all you need." Hagrid had said, interrupting Yugi's  
  
"Potions? You mean those exist as well?"  
  
"Yep," Hagrid said again to Yugi's question.  
  
"What else? Is real?" the white haired teen asked.  
  
"Let see, the required class at Hogwarts are: Astronomy, Herbology, Transfiguration, Potions, Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and History of Magic, and the electives are Muggle Studies, Divination, Study of Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, and the class that I teach, Care of Magical Creatures."  
  
"Oh. So we have all those to chose from as well?" Yugi asked, wondering what muggle were, and if Arithmancy was some type of strange math.  
  
Hagrid nodded, "Yeah, that and you have to catch up on four years worth of learning."  
  
"*Four years?!?*" Ryou repeated, who had broken straight though his yami's control, which wasn't all that strong for some reason... "Four years? I need to study!"  
  
"Yeah," Hagrid said with a sigh, "you have got a lot of catching up to do."  
  
"Fun." Bakura said, sarcastically.  
  
"Yeah, it was real odd that you have only recently shown up on the magic sensors..."  
  
"Yeah, real odd, I guess," Ryou said distracted, "Four years..."  
  
"Don't worry, you will have some exceptions made for you, but not many, because supposedly, according to the scans," Hagrid said, stressing that because he had never really trusted them; after all, during the war, they never found Voldemort. "you're supposed to be rather powerful."  
  
"Really?" asked Yugi,  
  
\\This as well I was a pharaoh? Some days I think the gods are trying to make our life a soap opera.\\  
  
\Can't blame you, just don't start looking for cameras...\ Yugi replied a hint of grin on his face.  
  
\\Your never going to let me forget that about the letter, are you? \\  
  
\Not for a long time,\ Yugi thought back, grinning openly now.  
  
\\That is the last time I let you give me odd drinks,\\ Yami thought darkly at him.  
  
\Yami, coffee is quite a normal drink.\  
  
\\That is what you say...\\  
  
"Well according to the scans you're got a lot of power," Hagrid said, wondering what could have violet-eyed boy so amused. "Don't really trust them,"  
  
"So what your saying, is that both of us are have more magical power than the average wizard?" Ryou asked, his dark brown eyes wide.  
  
"Yep, that is what Professor Dumbledore said,"  
  
"But we still have a lot of catch up to do," Ryou said just a bit dispirited.  
  
Hagrid nodded.  
  
"Do brooms really fly?" Ryou began.  
  
***  
  
After two hours of interrogating Hagrid, Ryou's yami *kindly* reminded him about how his father might want to know about it all *before* he went off to this 'Hogwarts'. Ryou had blushed, and gone to call his father; when he had come back Yugi remembered his grandpa, and had to call him. Once Yugi's grandpa had come and Mr. Bakura was back, Yugi and Ryou had retreated to his room.  
  
After Battle City, Ryou had completely redecorated his room. White walls, white blankets, white carpet; white was definitely the dominant color of the room. Black accent bits, like the desk's and the chair's legs. There were also books, which gave the room *some* life. But you didn't get much of a personality from it.  
  
Yugi and Ryou sat on the floor, the books Hagrid had given Yugi before they had came there, spread around them  
  
*Knock, knock*  
  
Ryou's father poked hi head trough, "Yugi, Ryou, we have decided to let you go to 'Hogwarts'," he said, "We're about to discuss, stuff like timing and all. You might want to come back to the kitchen, or else you might end up tying to pack all your worldly possessions in less then ten hours."  
  
"Yes, I guess that would be a good idea." Ryou said getting up. He and Yugi followed Mr. Bakura back to the table.  
  
"I read that school begins on September first," Yugi began, "But I need to get all of those things, I have no idea were to get a pair of dragon skin gloves for one." Yami had supplied a rather *interesting* solution for that, but Yugi thought that besides being impractical, he did not want to see what Kaiba thought of it. After all, he was rather fond of his Blue Eyes...  
  
"That is what we're going to talk about," Hagrid explained, "Your going to have to go to one of the major markets. Professor Dumbledore also had a suggestion. Since there is only about a over a week till school starts, you could stay with one of the students families, that way you could ask loads of questions there, and not be so far behind once school starts, if you want."  
  
"Huh," said Yugi, weighing the pros and cons, "If I had two days to pack and say good-bye to my friends, I suppose I could. What about you, Bakura?"  
  
Ryou gave Yugi's query a bit of thought. *After duelist kingdom, where all I had to make do with was a shared tent, that backpack Mai gave us, those makeshift showers and bathrooms, and Honda's book... easy. "I think I can be packed I two days easy."  
  
"Okay," Yugi looked back at Hagrid, "Is that about right, time-span wise."  
  
"Sure, I thought that you might need more time," Hagrid said, surprised, "I shall have a portkey sent over than."  
  
"Portkey?" asked a puzzled Yugi.  
  
"It is in *Magic's Uses*..." Ryou said.  
  
Hagrid smiled at Ryou, "Don't worry, the letter will have directions and all in it, it will be sent before the letter." Hagrid pulled out a hankchief, and moved a fold aside to reveal a stone. "This rock is one; it will take me back to Hogwarts, once I touch it.  
  
"You'll need to be ready around, let see with time change and all..." Hagrid muttered and began to count on his fingers. "One in the morning on Thursday's morning, yeah it's an odd time, but time zones."  
  
*That time isn't all that odd with* him *as a yami...* thought Bakura.  
  
\\Hmpf,\\ was all that his yami replied. Ryou hoped that it would not lead to retribution later.  
  
"Gotcha," Yugi said, snapping Bakura out of his reverie, "One in the morning on Thursday."  
  
"Well," Hagrid said, "guess I had better get going. Bye, see you two at Hogwarts." And with that, Hagrid touched one stubby finger to the stone, and disappeared.  
  
After two minutes of shocked silence, Yugi spoke, "Well Grandpa, guess we had better get going; I need to start packing." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Stella: Sorry this wasn't up earlier, but we wanted to avoid such odd spelling mistakes a last time, even though we will very likely have them in this one as well. And we took one or two unexpected trips.  
  
Wind: Yeah, *sigh*  
  
Stella: Don't mind her, she is a bit depressed. Go figure... So Yami Bakura's relation was amazement, then worry for his safety. Ryou is and his yami don't get along, so that is yet another worry. So let the guessing game begin, which family will it b--  
  
Wind: It will be the Weasleys.  
  
Stella: Wind!?!  
  
Wind: What? Some likely have already guessed.  
  
Stella: *glare* Well, to late, it's gonna be the Weasleys. They don't know yet though. *sighs* But please review!!! 


	6. Ch 6: Other Sides

Wind: Sorry this is *so* late. But I had some trouble with computers, compatibilities, and muses. The muses switched from being on break or striking with ideas farther in. Also I lost the notebook which most of this was written in for a while. I did type up a *later* chapter, so not all that time was lost. One more thing, trying to write in over-crowded restaurants, NO.  
  
Review responses:  
  
AbbiCat14: No, unlikly.  
  
Behold the Void: Thank you, I looked at your bio. You don't *seem* to give complements out too often.  
  
Anonymous: It is not going to be that easy. Sorry about the lateness for *this*. Yes, in fact the chapter I was writing part of this week was them getting wands.  
  
DruidessQueen: I am going to send you the next bit to beta; I would have sent you this, but close to a week with no updates.  
  
LiLfLoAtInGcLoUd,Cat, and Lily of the Shadow,DarkSpellCaster, and Silver Angel: ^___^  
  
Disclaimer: Last chapter.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter Six: Other Sides  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The Weasley family, and Harry were having a leisurely outdoor supper, well as leisurely as affair involving food and four hungry teenage boys can be.  
  
"Pass the mashed potatoes, Fred."  
  
"Sorry, Ron, all gone."  
  
"You just shoved them all on to your plate," Ron protested.  
  
"No," Ginny disagreed from between them, "he shoved them all in to his mouth."  
  
"Nauh, I see them clearly."  
  
"No, you're seeing the cream for the strawberries."  
  
"Well, pass that then,"  
  
Ginny sighed and rolled her eyes, but pushed the bowl over.  
  
"Err... were are the strawberries?" Ron asked craning his neck around, looking.  
  
"Right here," Mrs. Weasley said, and passed the plate to him.  
  
Ron, about to ask what else was for dessert, fell silent. What could shock Ron into not asking about sweets? Well a phoenix hovering in front of him could.  
  
Mrs. Weasley paled; reaching over Harry's head, she took the roll of parchment it grasped in its talons.  
  
Mr. Weasley had also paled, but when he reached his wife's side, and scanned the letter over her shoulder, he began to regain his composure.  
  
The others, who had remained quite during those moments, knowing some thing important was going to happen, now could contain themselves no longer.  
  
"Mum, what is it?" asked Percy. He remembered his first five years of life, when 'Voldemort' was another name for 'death', with it also being synonyms 'terror', 'evil', and 'chaos'. And now that he was back it seemed Dumbledore was going to use hi phoenix to carry his important messages again.  
  
"Well, what is it?" repeated one of the twins.  
  
"Nothing big," Mrs. Weasley said, relived, "nothing earth shattering. It seems that Professor Dumbledore has found some new students. They were only discovered less than a mouth or two ago. Odd... Anyway, since they're new to magic, he asked if we would be willing to let them stay with us through the rest of them summer. He knows we're a bit...cozy as is, but we're his first choice."  
  
Mrs. Weasley passed the letter to her husband who read it fully. His eyes widened slightly, and looked at her, as though seeking reassurance. She shrugged, but nodded and pointed at the letter.  
  
"I am inclined to believe it, he has no reason to... ah... you know. I am sure we'll find space. In fact," her voice turned a little more cheerful here, "they are to be in Ron and Harry's year," she continued mischievously, "They should become acquainted. Also Ron now has an excess of space now that we took that wall down," she said, referring to about a month ago, when that wall that separated his room form Bill's was taken out.  
  
Ron sighed, but said nothing, he could see the logic, well, that and he was rather curious about these whole little thing. However, since they wouldn't be coming for a while--  
  
"Mum, what's for dessert?"  
  
***  
  
"I think I see the owl!" Yugi excitedly said.  
  
He and Ryou where waiting in Bakura's room, both eyes, in the dimness (the lights had been turned off, so they could see better), trained on the widow, each pair staining against the darkness, trying to spot the owl that would be carrying the portkey. Behind them, on the bed, was their luggage, strung tightly together by the by a cord that attached to a clip, that they were supposed to hooked to the portkey. Once it got there.  
  
"No, that is just the tree," Ryou said, dismissing it and bug that had flown thorough the open window.  
  
They had said good-bye to everyone. However, they *had* to those who knew about Yami, and who could be trusted, about the invitation to the school of magic. To others, it was they were both going away to attend a selective boarding school. Yugi was careful *not* to mention it was in England, it might have been hard to explain why he, one who had taken no class in second language, was going to Britain.  
  
"No, not that. Over there above that roof to left." Yugi pointed, drawing closer with each wing beat, was a barn owl. The owl that had arrived a while before, had borne the information on the portkey, and the potion that had anything he said in Japanese come out in English, same thing with writing and reading skills. The draught would last indefinitely, until the counter-potion was given.  
  
The owl landed on the windowsill, with a light thump. It offered them a band of metal. Yugi took it, and with three soft swooshes of its wing's it was back out, beneath the moon.  
  
Since this was a timed portkey, you could hold it without disappearing, that also meant they had ten minutes until they left. Both had already said their farewells to their respective guardians, who had fallen asleep after midnight, so they had not much to do but sit down lightly on the bed, the clip was now securely attached to the large ring. They two boy each held, with one hand, on to the portkey.  
  
1:08: Bakura sighed, and wished that he had not packed all of the books away. Seven minutes to go.  
  
1:12: Yugi also sighed, and shifted slightly, he knew there was magic in the metal, but was doing his best to not try and mess with it, to hurry it up.  
  
1:14: \Well, Yami here we go...\  
  
\\Yes, Yugi, off to the 'Weasleys'.\\  
  
\Yep,\ Yugi thought to him, shifting his grip on the band, then a fifty seconds later, they were gone.  
  
***  
  
At five o'clock, the Weasleys and Harry waited for the two boys: Ryou Bakura and Yugi Motuo.  
  
Fred and George had been in their usual outrageous form, predicting all sorts of odd things, like their skins would be blue and each hand would seven fingers, but that was rather typical of them.  
  
At fifteen after, a small whoosh was heard and the company had come.  
  
Fred and George's hypotheses weren't all that of. The two boys were *interesting*, to say the least. One boy was *shorter than Harry,* which was saying something. That might explain why his hair was done up so oddly, into ten spikes that were out lined in red and faded into black. The spikes dropped some. The other was of rather normal build, had brown eyes, but his hair was white and long.  
  
"Hello," yawned the white haired boy. "Ryou Bakura, and he's Yugi Motuo." He yawned again, "Sorry, just I haven't had a lot of sleep recently and that's it one in the morning."  
  
"No, it isn't," said George, confused.  
  
"It is in Japan, dummy," said Ginny in exasperation.  
  
"Oh..." he ruefully said.  
  
"It's 'kay," yawned the tri-colored hair kid, "I almost forgot 'bout 'em as well. I really should have gone to bed earlier," he said with a huge yawn.  
  
"You two look rather tired," Mrs. Weasley said, "Ron, show them to the room. You're going to have to share his room. We don't have any guest rooms. Boys, help them carry their stuff please. You can go to sleep up there."  
  
The twins, Ron, and Harry began to pick up the suitcases. Ron was just about to pick up a black backpack.  
  
"Wait!" Ryou said, rushing over to the black backpack. "*I'll* take this one."  
  
"Guess I should take one 'oo," Yugi punctuated with a yawn, he picked up one too.  
  
The six boys and Mrs. Weasley went to Ron's room, now a orange-purple in the dusk, and put the two vistors' things there. After a quick trip to the bathroom, they were on the beds and asleep.  
  
Below, Fred was helping his mother with dinner, by setting the table.  
  
"Mum." he asked, setting down a glass, "Did you see that one boys hair? Yugi, I think it was. Can I--"  
  
"No," Mrs. Weasley said firmly.  
  
***  
  
After dinner and one game of Gobstones (only one because Mrs. Weasley didn't care for it at all), Harry and Ron went up to their room. It seemed Ryou was having trouble sleeping.  
  
Tossing and turning like that you rarely saw. *Heck,* Harry thought, *even* I *sleep more soundly than that.* But Harry had to admit that observation was one sided because he could see himself sleep.  
  
"Do you think we should wake him?" Ron asked.  
  
"I guess so," Harry said, a bit doubtful.  
  
Ron walked over and shook Ryou shoulder gently. Ryou, having felt this, curled up in a ball, and whimpered slightly. Ron shook him again a little harder. Ryou's only response was to ball up even tighter.  
  
"Well, now what?" Ron asked Harry.  
  
Ryou saved Harry from answering.  
  
He woke up very quickly, some how he uncurled and managed to come awake, sitting bolt up right. Breathing heavily, his eyes still mostly shut, he tried to untangle himself from his blankets.  
  
"Bad dream?" Harry asked  
  
Ryou startled by the sound of the voice jumped, well as close as you can get, when your legs next to tied. And next to the edge of the bed too.  
  
He fell.  
  
"You alright?" Ron asked helping him sit up again.  
  
"I think so..." he answered softly and hesitantly, finally succeeding on pulling the sheets of his legs, "or a least I will be."  
  
"Sure?" Harry asked, and threw the discard sheets on the Ryou's bed.  
  
"Yeah," he said, but in an uncertain tone. Getting up wincing, then he saw Bill's half of the room, which Bill had left numerous posters up on the walls; Ron had not yet been able to convert that side of the room to his Chudley Cannons shrine. "Hey, you like Egypt, or something?"  
  
"No, not really," said Ron, following him. "This is all Bill's old stuff, he is my older brother; that used to be his room.  
  
"Ah." Ryou just looked at the pictures.  
  
"You like Egypt?" Harry asked.  
  
"Sort of," Ryou wryly said.  
  
"Err...okay," Harry said. "I need to get some sleep," he said, breaking the awkward quite.  
  
"Yeah, me too," Ron began to settle in.  
  
Ryou looked at the picture of ruin one last time, then Ron murmured something and the lights went out, leaving Ryou to find his bed in the luminescence the moonlight that streamed though the windows.  
  
However, even with lights off, they had trouble trying to sleep; Harry wondering what inspired that nightmare; Ron wondering at Ryou's tone when he had said 'sort of', and regretting that cup of coffee he had drunk an hour before; Ryou wondering what he done in a past life to offended the gods so much. Well, he had to admit that was a rather silly question.  
  
*Justice can be rather bitter,* he thought to himself as he looked at the stars. ~~~~~~~~~ Wind: I know, mistakes. -_-U. Next chapter: Sunday? 


	7. Ch 7: Bruises

Stella: So, here is chapter seven. I know the yamis might be acting a little odd, but there are explanations. I will ether give them at the end of the chapter, or they will be explained in the next. And *THANK YOU* to DruidessQueen, for betaing this. ^____^  
  
Review responses:  
  
Nightmare Crow and RyouBakura: Didn't catch your reviews last time since there were for chapter four, sorry. NC, Dumbledore is not going to be killed by Malik, nor Yami Malik, or Yami Bakura. RyouBakura, the chapters (I hope) will get a *little* longer.  
  
Cettie-girl: Yeeaahhh, in a way; there will more about that, in a later chapter, after this day is done, which is going to be a couple more installments. -_- Know the feeling, I'm not short, but my friends are taller than me.  
  
Behold the Void: I was trying to say thank you for the good review, but it came out wrong. -_-u Should've waited while before posting, but couldn't. I know the flow was not real good, but I want to get to the *action*.  
  
Arian Starswing: Yes, Harry is *short*, WB just cast him wrong. Harry is short, skinny, and pale.  
  
Hikura: There are quite a few reasons that was so late, but I am not going into that on account of the fact I can go on for hours when it comes to excuses. I don't have everything written, only to a certain point, and if I typed it up the way it was, you have to figure words like confusesion and destrucktion. (Not a good speller)  
  
Lily of the Shadow, DarkSpellCaster, Yami Yavi-no-Lyithien, Sakura, Silver Angel: Thank You!!!  
  
And thank you again for betaing this, DruidessQueen.  
  
Disclaimer: Hmm... do I own Yu-gi-oh, or Harry Potter? Hmm... NO!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter Seven: Bruises  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
At four in the morning (noon in Japan), Yugi decided he could not delay in getting up any longer. Quietly, so as not to wake the others, he sat up. Picking up one of the books (Hogwarts: A History), he realized that he had no idea were the lights were. He sighed and looked out at the lights to the west.  
  
Yami appeared beside him, in the specter-like form he preferred.  
  
"Morn'," Yugi whispered to him.  
  
"Good day--" Yami began.  
  
"If he is out-- I am out." The tomb robber appeared.  
  
"I guess it's too late to stop you," It seemed Bakura was not as asleep as Yugi had supposed. Sitting up, dressed in a pair of boxers and an oversized T-shirt, Ryou stretched a bit. "But please don't go wreaking this house too."  
  
Yugi wasn't sure he wanted to know.  
  
"I have only done that five times since I found you."  
  
Ryou's glare was easy to see in the almost-full moon's glow. Looking back to Yugi, he said, "You really should try to get all the rest you can; time shifts can be hard."  
  
"Can't, hungry."  
  
"Oh," Ryou picked up the backpack he had been so adamant about carrying. He unzipped it, and pulled out something. "Catch," he said, and tossed.  
  
Yugi caught it, feeling cellophane beneath his fingers.  
  
"A little something that I keep tucked away for this type thing."  
  
Yugi opened the bag to find chips inside.  
  
Yami Bakura almost absently hit him on the shoulder. Ryou's hiss of pain bought Yami to his feet.  
  
"Do you want to try that trick with me?" Yami said, seizing the tomb robber by the collar.  
  
"Uh..." the tomb robber said intelligently.  
  
"If you pull another one like that..." Yami warned, and dropped him. He sat beside Yugi, glaring.  
  
All sat in an uncomfortable silence after that, which was only broken by Yugi nervously munching on chips, and one boy's snores. It seemed to last ages, but in reality it was only a few hours. Just before false dawn began, the lights on the hill to the west went out. When the sun had barely begun to have risen, touching the room with the dimmest of beams, only enough to make out silhouettes, Harry began to stir. With one finally glare, Yami and Yami Bakura retuned to the Ring and the Puzzle respectively.  
  
Harry yawned, a rather peaceful night's dreams still in his mind, confusing, but then again aren't all dreams? He saw both of the two odd boys were up, sitting on their beds, looking tense.  
  
"Hey," said the boy with his hair in foot long spikes.  
  
"Er, 'lo," Harry responded, looking at the violet eyed boy's hair, if Uncle Vernon ever saw it, he would have a fit.  
  
"My name Yugi," he said looking at Harry with curiosity. "I don't know if you caught that yesterday, I was rather tired."  
  
"Harry is mine. So you're Yugi and he's Ryou?  
  
The two boys nodded, Ryou still tense, but Yugi cheerful.  
  
"Yeah!" Yugi chirped.  
  
Ryou went over to his suitcases and pulled out a pair of jeans. The other two followed his lead; Yugi was tossed a pair by Ryou, and Harry going over to the dresser in the semi-darkness.  
  
"So are you two both friends?" Harry asked as he tried in vain to bring his hair into a presentable state.  
  
He got two answers.  
  
"Yep!" Yugi said.  
  
"Sort of..." Ryou still seemed tense.  
  
"Well, we've been through a lot together, at least." Yugi made a slight motion at the upside down pyramid he wore. Ryou grimaced a little, and nodded.  
  
"True," Ryou said, trying to cover up the exchange, "but occasionally on different sides." He winced slightly. "Okay, almost *always* on different sides."  
  
Harry looked at him, baffled. "Oh?"  
  
"Yugi *loves* games," Ryou said, "and he'll play against *anyone*, even if they cheat." He paused for a second, his eyes distant, then continued, "Some days I think he believes life is a game."  
  
"Well, *my life*, yeah!" Yugi said.  
  
"Uhuh..." Harry said, still trying not to ask about the hair.  
  
"So, do you know where the light switch is?" Yugi asked.  
  
"Just say 'lights, on,' " The room lit up, and for the first time Yugi saw the posters of Egypt. His expression changed to that of pure seriousness, rising off the bed he had been sitting on. Yami strode over to the posters and looked at them. He saw one in particular.  
  
"Horus..." he said softly, looking at one, "Protector of the Pharaoh..." Yugi then said something, Harry didn't catch it however, and over Ron's snores it sounded like it might have been another language.  
  
Yami Bakura sighed, well, what could you expect from a pharaoh? Taking over Ryou's body, he walked over. "Pharaoh, right now is not the best time to have pangs about religion," he whispered, annoyed.  
  
"What would a thief know about gods?" Yami whispered back, his eyes still riveted on the poster.  
  
"What a thief knows about gods is not important right now, what a thief knows about subtlety and secrecy might." Yami Bakura whispered.  
  
"So?" asked Yami before going back to looking at the picture, his lips moving in a silent prayer, or something of that sort.  
  
"That mortal wizard boy is still there," Yami Bakura hissed, hoping that the pharaoh was not out of it that much.  
  
"Umm...."  
  
The pharaoh wasn't.  
  
"Now that we have that cleared up--"  
  
"I'm going to go back into the Puzzle, once you've gone back into the Ring." Yami said, glaring at the tomb robber  
  
"One the count of three. One, two, three."  
  
Yami let Yugi regain control, but Yami Bakura didn't do the same.  
  
"Never said what was on the count of three..." he said, and now that he had his fun (as petty as it was), he went back into the Ring.  
  
"So," asked Yugi, turning back to Harry, who had been watching Yugi and Bakura whisper. Harry had heard little over Ron's snores. "Where do we eat and when?"  
  
"Food?" asked Ron stirring. "Eat?" he questioned.  
  
"Why," asked Bakura, to the orange ceiling above him, "why does it feel like he's going to be another Joey? Why?"  
  
"What's up 'ith him?" inquired Ron, looking at Ryou.  
  
"Bakura is wondering why you remind him of someone." Yugi said.  
  
"This Joey, I presume?" Harry asked.  
  
"Yeah... I can see the resemblance," Yugi said, watching Ron pull on a pair of jeans and a shirt in under ten seconds.  
  
"Come on," said the redhead, "let's go raid the pantry!"  
  
The three other boys began to follow, but then Bakura stopped, his eyes narrowed and his hair fluffed up. He had seen one of the photos on the wall, and it had caught his eyes.  
  
It was Yugi's turn to sigh, "Come on!" he said walking over to were Yami Bakura stood, "Bakura?" he questioned, growing worried. "Bakura?" he asked again, with no result. Yugi shook him gently on his shoulder; still nothing. "You can't say I didn't try," Yugi muttered and tugged on what looked to be the back of the collar of Ryou's shirt, to Harry and Ron. But it was really the leather cord, which the Millennium Ring hung upon.  
  
"What are you doing?!" Yami Bakura said, his voice cold, his eyes narrowed, and his hair even more ruffled than normal.  
  
Yugi let go of the cord. He looked Yami Bakura straight in the eye, and raised an eyebrow, making the tomb robber remember his earlier words.  
  
The white haired teen glared at him, but then his eyes softened and he shook his head to 'settle' his hair. "Sorry," he said. Ryou followed the others down, wondering what was up with his yami.  
  
***  
  
They had gone down to find little to eat that did not need to be cooked. Fortunately, Mrs. Weasley was already down there, with Percy and Mr. Weasley. Mrs. Weasley whipped up an early breakfast, Ron was sent up to wake the others around six thirty, whilst Mr. Weasley asked Ryou and Yugi questions about how traffic lights worked.  
  
Fred had gone upstairs to change his shirt after he dumped jam on it, instead of the bread.  
  
"So, after Fred comes back, wanna play?" George said, and bit into a piece of toast.  
  
"Play what?" asked Yugi with trepidation.  
  
"Oh, Quidditch of course."  
  
"Quidditch?" Mrs. Weasley interrupted, her eyes going sharp, "Up at the padlock?"  
  
"Yes, why?" George said puzzled.  
  
"You can't," she said.  
  
"Why?" asked Ginny, her forehead wrinkled.  
  
"Because," Mrs. Weasley said, her eyes and tone going sharper still.  
  
"Wh--" Ron asked, still not quite awake, so he missed the warning in Mrs. Weasley voice. But he was silenced by a swift kick.  
  
--That also hit Yugi. "Ow," he said and mouthed at Ginny who had kicked him, "watch it."  
  
She blushed, and mouthed/whispered "sorry."  
  
"So," said Fred, their mother was not to be pressed about that, "Yugi, how do you get your hair like that anyway?"  
  
"It's natural, the color. And the shape is a bit enhanced, "Yugi replied.  
  
Bakura snorted softly, but said nothing.  
  
"Really?" asked Ron his eyes appraising Yugi's hair, "Weird!"  
  
"Is his too?" Ginny waved a spoon in Ryou's direction.  
  
"I think so." Yugi looked at him. Ryou's eyes were distant and distracted.  
  
\\Maybe,\\ said Yami mentally, \\maybe he is in one of those soul rooms. Maybe Tomb Robber is 'disciplining' him. I guess it might be possible for someone to be hurt and bruised there, but not to show any visible marks. It might explain why Bakura was so willing to kamikaze.\\ Yami than said a few select words about the other spirit that made Yugi choke a little.  
  
"Hey you all right?" Harry asked. He had almost forgotten about the two visitors.  
  
"Yeah, didn't chew thoroughly, that's all." Going back to Yami, who was still insulting a certain persons liege, he thought, \Yami, cool down. Do you know if that soul room thing is real?\ Yugi said, wary, if Yami was suspicious enough, Yugi feared that he might try to challenge him to a duel. Not a good idea.  
  
\\No, I don't know,\\ Yami snapped a little, \\I'm not that eager to test it. I'll keep my temper, but if I get one hint that that cur is abusing Bakura...\\  
  
\I understand, we need to find out more, just not now.\  
  
"Yugi?" Ron said, bringing Yugi's attention back to the kitchen.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Please pass the butter."  
  
"Sure," Yugi said, passing it.  
  
"Err... does he often space out like that?" Harry said looking at Ryou who was still staring into space, blinking only occasionally.  
  
"Umm, sometimes, I guess," Yugi said, nervous.  
  
"He is fine, right?" Ron asked looking at the 'lights are on, but nobody's home' Bakura.  
  
"Yeah." Yugi hoped the subject would be dropped soon.  
  
"Okay..." Ron said still doubtful.  
  
"Hey, back." Fred announced, his hair wet, "Had to take a shower, got the jam in my hair." He clapped one hand on Ryou's left shoulder.  
  
"Yow!" Bakura exclaimed, snapped back, "I have a big bruise there!"  
  
"I'm sorry, didn't know I touched you that hard," Fred apologized.  
  
"No, it wasn't that, I just had a bruise there." Bakura gave a little rueful grin.  
  
"*He didn't,*" Yami said, taking over Yugi.  
  
"No, he did *not*," Bakura snapped. "I think it is time you and I had a little talk." He grabbed the other by the wrist, and pulled Yami along, going outside.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Stella: I know, I know, not very good place to end the chapter, but I should have the next one up Tuesday? Wednesday?  
  
Explanation: When Yami held Yami Bakura by the shirt, it may seem a little out of place, but remember, this is Tomb Robber, not Ryou, and Yami has done this on the show (when he and Kaiba were won the dual against the Ghouls/Rare Hunters, Yami grabbed one, and asked him were his friends were).  
  
Wind: Please review!!! 


	8. Ch 8: An Ill Wind Blows

Wind: Chapter Eight! Kudos to DuridessQueen for the chapter title and betaing.   


Review responses: 

AbbiCat14, Arian Starswing, Lily of the Shadow, and Silver Angel: Thanks 

Hikaru: Yes, dubbed sucks. I fairly sure it's Ryou. Sorry about the typo. 

DarkSpellCaster: I have not forgotten about Malik... He comes in little later. 

Cettie-girl: Yes, Yami is right... That comes in little later (sort of) (and before Malik), also, Ryou was laying down,   
conserving his energy. 

Wind: Hope I got the italics... 

Disclaimer: see last chapter.   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   
  
Chapter Eight: An Ill Wind Blows 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

The Weasleys and Harry looked off after the two boys, when Ryou had grabbed Yugi, saying something about needing to   
talk. It seemed half of their conversation was encoded. 

"Hey, Dad," Ron said, effectively breaking the silence, "aren't you late for work?" 

"No, remember I said last week that Percy and I were going to be home until you go off to school. The Minister is   
remodeling the offices. They cut the defense budget to do this, wondrous is not it?" 

"Umm... yeah... Anyway if we can't play Quidditch," Gregore said. Mrs. Weasley had been very insistent on them not playing, "what *_are_* we going to do?" 

"You, Ron, the twins, Harry, and our two guests," Mrs. Weasley looked at the table, and saw the two half finished   
breakfasts, "Where are they anyway?" 

"They went outside," Ginny said, " I think they where going to have an argument. I'm surprised you didn't hear." 

"I was busy," Mrs. Weasley said, "You are going to be going on a picnic. And no buts, you're going." 

"Yes, Mum," Fred said, detecting the note of finality in his mother's voice, and with a sigh, he took the basket. 

"And you're to stay on the east side of the house, *_not the west_*. And come back after five, but not after dark. Got it?" Mrs.   
Weasley said, her tone brooked no argument. 

"Gotcha." Ron too sighed.   
  
"Good, shoe, off you go," Mrs. Weasley all but shoved them out the door. 

"Where *_did_* Yugi and Ryou go?" Ron asked.   


Bakura, still with his grip firm on Yami's wrist, brought them outside, once he was sure they were out of earshot, he let go. 

"What is--" Yami said. 

Ryou interrupted him, "Look, your jumping to so many conclusions, isn't funny. I do get injures unrelated to him, you know. 

"Really?" Yami was suspicious of the whole thing. "How do I know you're not the grave robber?" 

Bakura sighed, "I can't give you any real proof,"   
  
"Hm." Yami looked at a tree in the distance.   
  
"But I can say he's been quiet ever since he came down. And while he's not a person who I would become fast friends with,   
he isn't purely evil either." Ryou said, his chocolate-brown eyes staring resolutely into Yami's. 

"So you say... How did you get that bruise?" Yami looked at the injured shoulder, which if you look at it closely, you could   
see that Bakura was favoring slightly. 

"I got hit by a twenty, twenty-five bookend," Ryou said, pained.   
  
"Really? How?" Yami asked archly. 

Bakura glared at him.   
  
"He hit you with it didn't he?" Yami's hand began to inch towards his deck.   
  
"No," Ryou said, his voice dropping in volume. 

"Oh?" Yami now had his deck in his hand. 

"It... fell on me." 

"How?" He now shuffled his deck.   
  
"Fine, if you must know, I was running to the stove because the popcorn I was cooking caught fire and I crashed into the   
bookcase," Ryou said, flushing. 

"Uhh..." Yami seemed the more embarrassed of the two. "What about earlier," he asked, to cover it up. 

"You mean... when he hit my arm?" Ryou glanced at Yami's hand, where the cards still lay. 

Yami nodded. 

"It was... an automatic reaction I suppose... and it wouldn't have been that bad if it wasn't my shoulder." 

"Mhh," Yami contemplated the information. "Fine, Tomb Robber is off the hook... for now...." Yami added, and put his deck   
away. He transferred control back to Yugi. 

"Sorry," Yugi sighed.   
  
"It's okay," Ryou also sighed, "Both of them are on hair trigger. I think it is because of this new magic; neither know anything   
about it, and *_he_* at least, suspects there to be a catch twenty-two. And no, before you can ask, I can't read his mind, but the   
way he has been acting..." 

"Yeah, I guess Yami was suspecting the same, I think that could be one of the reasons why he was over reacting so much..." 

"Yeah... he was... over reacting..." 

"There you are!" Ginny cried, so Ryou didn't have to finish that awkward sentence. "We're supposed to go hiking, Mum has   
been implying if we don't we're gonna be in big trouble." 

"Err... fine, I guess." 

"Same here," Yugi chirped.   
  
"Come on then, the others are looking for you." 

The three went looking for the other four. They found Harry looking around the garage, the twins in the garden, and Ron was   
sitting near the east gate out of the garden. 

Eating. 

More specifically, eating the picnic lunch Mrs. Weasley had packed. 

"Ron!" Ginny exclaimed, "What are you doing?" 

"Err... eating?" he said after swallowing. 

"Grrr-- That was our food!" The twins tried to wrestle the basket out of Ron's grip. 

Ryou sighed, it was almost like watching Jounochi and Honda all over again; he could tell they were not going to be going   
soon. Ginny caught his eye; she too had the same exasperated expression. Ryou cleared his throat a little and mouthed 'I have   
an idea," and tilted his head in the direction of the Burrow. 

Ginny nodded, and together they took their leave. 

Ron and the twins continued to argue, Harry and Yugi keeping out of it. Both had seen this behavior before, and knew there   
was not much to do but wait for the other three to sort it out. It was rather boring. 

"So," Harry said, "you're from Japan right?" 

"Yeah," Yugi answered, wondering where it might lead. 

"How did you learn your English?" Harry asked, "It is very good," 

"You don't know?" Yugi answered, intrigued, he had been under the impression that he would have to do *_major_* catch up. 

Harry shook his head, sheepish, "No, Hermoine, a friend of mine, might, but not me." 

"It was a potion," Yugi said, ignoring Fred's cries for reinforcements. 

"Well, that could explain it," Harry said darkly. 

"Oh...you're not good at those or something?" Yugi asked, before he had thought, "Sorry," he said, hoping no damage had   
been done, "didn't mean to pry." 

"It's fine, it is best if you're forewarned. I dunno if I'm good at potions; the professor is biased." 

"Are all the teachers like that?" said Yugi, beginning to grow concerned.   
  
"No, no, just him. He really favors Slytherin." 

"Yeah, he's a real slime ball," Ron added, "Let go, Fred, I was *_going_* to carry it, so I ate some food to lighten it." 

"Hah! You would lighten it 'til to the bottom!" Fred said, giving the basket another tug. 

"Hey!" Ginny yelled. She and Ryou had returned, and between them, they bore yet another basket. "We got some more food   
while you where fighting. We had better go though; Mum nearly skinned me for coming back. She might have if Ryou wasn't   
a guest." 

"What is with them?" Fred let go of the smaller picnic basket he, George, and Ron had been playing tug-of-war over. 

"I have no clue; but I *_really_* think we had better leave. Mum is rather irritable. Right now." 

"Fine," George got off the ground and began to brush himself off, "Ron, since you were going to carry that before the fight,   
you can carry it now. " He grinned, leaving Ron to pick up the now a quarter empty, but still heavy basket. 

"Come on!" Ginny cried and picked up the basket, which was borne between her and Ryou.   


At first the pace was a slow ramble, but soon Ginny began to speed it up. It was easy to keep up in the beginning, but after a   
while it became hard. Harry although he was fast, his stamina wasn't very good; and poor little Yugi, because of his short   
legs, he had to take it double time to keep up. 

It was about any hour before they stopped, and only then it was for a break. 

"Ginny," panted George, "is this really necessary?" 

"I don't know," she snapped, "I just have this feeling that we need to keep moving." 

Yugi heard the way she had said 'feeling'; he closed is eyes and tried to feel it too.   
  
Yes, he could feel it also. It was not pleasant, whatever it was, but it was also a good distance off.   
  
Bakura, who had put down the basket whispered to him, "You feel it too?" 

"Yes, not real nice, but it is a good distance off, and it _*could*_ be nothing." 

"Maybe..."   
  
"What does *_he_* have to say?" Yugi asked. Then he checked with Yami. 

\\_I sense it also. I do not like it; it has a very dark feel to it_,\\ Yami replied. \\_Be careful._\\   
  
"He isn't... responding..." Ryou whispered, baffled.   
  
"What do you mean?" Yugi asked, as a dozen scenarios flashed through his mind.   
  
"He's there, but lost in thought, I guess."   
  
"Lost as in thinking, or *_lost_*?" Yugi asked, remembering the incident with Shadi. 

"Thought," Bakura answered, "definitely thought." 

"Uhh, that feel," Yugi shook his head. 

"Not a benevolent one for sure." 

"Right." 

"Ginny," Ryou asked, at a normal volume, "ready to move on?" 

"Yes, ready." She got up, anticipating a move. 

"Do we *_have_* to?" asked Harry, "I think we've gone far enough." 

"Well, I don't," Ginny said. 

"Ginny, that's very nice and all, but us mere mortals need some rest," Fred said, and lay down, using the small basket as a   
pillow. 

"I second that," Ron too, lay down. 

"Me too," George said. 

Ginny glared at them, but could do little. Like most breaks, it went from 'just five more minutes' to an hour. After an hour the   
feeling died down, but Ginny and Ryou were still nervous. Ron had had enough, and broke out the lunch. After the seven had   
eaten, Fred and George began to discuss Quidditch, and then had to explain it to Yugi, when he had unsuspecting asked what   
it was. Once Yugi heard it was a physical game, he lost most interest. 

"So," Ron asked, as he saw Yugi was getting *_very_* bored, "what is Japan like?" 

"It's okay," Yugi said, "but since I've lived there all my life, I don't really know what the difference is." 

"Oh..." Ron said, then before the twins could start on uses of Parkin's Pincer, "What about you, Ryou? Or same answer?" 

"No comment," Ryou said, distracted; that feeling was coming back... 

"Oh..." 

"So you ready move *_now_*?" Ryou asked, that feeling seemed to be getting much   
closer.   
  
"_YES_!" shouted Ginny.   
  
"No," was the twins' answer. 

"Not really..." Harry said. 

"Whatever for?" questioned a puzzled Ron. 

"I just think it would be a good idea..." Ryou said looking at the woods;   
they seemed darker than they should be, even with the sun hidden behind the   
clouds. 

"Whatever," George said, dismissing it, "so, the Hawkshea--" 

Bakura interrupted, "I *_really_* think we should go," his voice deadly serious. 

"Uh," Fred said, "I think you--"   
  
What Fred was going to advise was cut off. The feeling that Yugi, Ryou, and Ginny had been feeling, caught up with them. 

A figure in dark robes glided over, bringing with it a wave of despair. 

*_A dementor,_* Harry thought, *_oh shit_.*   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Wind: I know Ron is a bit out of character, but-- *she thumbs through a book titled '_Excuses'_* But he's having a growth spurt. He will have his moments later in the year, when he isn't constantly hungry. I _should_ have the next chapter up by Monday, if not sooner. 

Odd thought: There are quite a few Anzu/Tea bashers out there, (not one myself) have they seen what WB did to the end of the Chamber of Secrets, that is so not in the book? I don't know which is worse, Harry saying that he'll be there next time to save the day, or that bit he tells Hagrid, 'There would be no Hogwarts with out you,'. Gahhh, I hate that. 


	9. Ch 9: Blood and Lilies

Wind: A thousand apologizes for this being _so_ late... It was a combination of things. Okay a few things first.   


**Yami Bakura is only a little less clueless about the past than Yami. For all writers: go look at Chibizoo bio for info about a contest.**   


Review Responses:   
DarkSpellCaster: Sorry, but I'm going to still be using both... Can't figure out why, but I like it more that way. 

Hikaru: Malik is still in Egypt, with Isis, and it should only be a week or so more. Sorry, meant to have it up Saturday. If you have time, just scan ch 2&3 about Malik. 

Chibizoo: It was inspired by White Angel, but in two ways. First, I read her _The New Students_, ever now and then I had an idea that it should be this way, and not that; those I filed away. It may have been a long while before I wrote this up if wasn't for _The King, the Ring, and the Thief_. I had just finished her _The Darkness Returns_ and was feeling kinda down. I thought that _The King, the Ring, and the Thief_ might cheer me up. Nope, didn't work. I felt even more depressed, so I picked up the notebook and wrote. 

I have heard about the contest, even have an idea for it! I have been meaning to tell the readers about it, but kept forgetting. All ready read the rules. 

Behold the Void: The grammar and spelling have improved thanks to having beta reader. One excuse about the flow is that I'm still typing what I have in the notebook. I'm doing some editing with it, but too little I guess.   


Arian Starswing, Silver Angel, Goddess Kumori Dragon, AbbiCat14, BlackLadyCharon, Electricity-Of-The-Phoenix, Lily of the Shadow, Cettie-girl, and vmr: Thank you!!! ^_^   


Disclairer: Umm... I think we all know the ansewer: SEE LAST CHAPTER!   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Chapter Nine: Blood and Lilies 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   


The dementor's effect was being felt acutely by Harry, who was remembering his parents last moments and the Dark Lord's rebirth. 

Ginny was struggling through the memories of the Chamber of Secrets, while Yugi remembered the soul-snatching of his grandpa and his to the death duels. He felt hopeless and lost. For Ron and the twins it was not so bad, but not at all pleasant. However the same could not be said for Ryou. 

It took Ryou less than ten seconds to figure out that those _things_ were the root of the sensation of loss and dejection. He ran almost all the way through a thorn bush, trying to escape the creature and memories, and then he tripped. Rolling out of the shrub, he tried to scurry away again. 

Too late. 

The thing was now less than two meters away. Now Ryou's memories were overwhelming him in despair and bitterness. He curled up into a protective ball as he felt all awareness leave him. 

Harry saw the dementor moving closer to Ryou's limp form, beginning to remove its hood. It was about to administer the Dementor's Kiss, which would remove his soul and leave him a shell… a body that still moved, still lived, but had no memories, no inspiration, no will, and in short, no essence. 

Harry saw his wand, which he had been franticly searching for as he as those morbid thoughts rampaged through his head, beside a rock that he been sitting on for awhile earlier. 

The dementor had taken Ryou's head in one of its decayed hands, and was bringing it closer. 

_Now or never..._ Harry called up the happiest moment of his life, "_EXPECTO PATRONUM_!" he yelled. 

Out of his wand exploded a sliver stag; it charged the dementor, almost knocking it over. The Patronus drove the dementor back… but then the dementor _hissed_ at something? 

It melted back into the shadows of the forest, and the melancholy went with it. 

Yugi finally snapped out of it. He stumbled over to Ryou, "Bakura?" he asked, his voice panicked, "Bakura?" 

"Did it get him?" Ginny questioned, her voice quavering as she crawled over, "I couldn't see." 

"Did it get him?" Yugi repeated, "What do you mean by that?" Yugi was obviously quite worried. 

"No, it didn't," Harry answered wearily. 

"Poor guy, he must have some_ awful_ memories for that," Ron said, crouching down beside them. "I don't think he's conscious..." Ron added, stating the evident. 

Ginny pulled a vial out of her pocket. She opened it and waved it near Ryou's nose, 

"Mmhhh..." Ryou shifted, "Roses and lilies..." he murmured. 

Ron looked at Yugi, who seemed just as shocked as him. The white haired teen was either delirious or he actually did know what he was talking about. 

"Ryou," Ginny said softly in a singsong voice. 

"Huh," Bakura raised his head, and opened his eyes, "What was that... _thing_? 

"My homemade perfume," Ginny said acidly. 

"No, no, not that… but a you might want to take out about two-thirds of the rose, it's too overpowering; try an iris extract." 

The others boys were in various degrees of disturbance. 

"Iris? I thought it wasn't right, I tried jasmine but it was overpowered--" 

"By the roses," interrupted Bakura, "I personally prefer an oil base over an alcoholic one, I blame it on--" Ryou stopped reminding himself that even though these people were nice, to tell them about _that_ was not advisable. "I have a little obsession with Egypt," he finished lamely. 

"Do you think as alternative to the roses, would hyacinth--" 

"Um, as interesting as this conversation may be," Ron broke in, "can we please keep our minds on the real problems here?" 

Both Ginny and Ryou glared at him then recalled the dementor, "Er..." the two said simultaneously, the wondrous scent had banished the aftereffects of the dementor. 

"Right," Yugi said, standing up. 

"Umm... I'm fine now," Bakura said struggling up, but his knees shook. 

"I'm okay too," Ginny said helping Ryou up, "Oh my goodness! What happened to your arm?" 

Ryou was puzzled, then fearful. 

"Bakura, your right arm must have been scratched by that bush you rolled out of," Yugi said, stressing the word 'right' enough to be heard by Ryou, but not enough (he hoped) to be noticed by the others. 

Ryou looked down to see a _very_ bloody gash on his upper right arm, nearly identical in path to the one on his left. "Wondrous..." he said sarcastically. 

"Will you be all right?" asked Fred, who looked grossed out by the sight of so much blood. 

"Yeah should be... just have to let it bleed to clean it out some first." Bakura looked at it, his eyes half seeing it and half seeing the past. 

"Err... whatever..." Ron also looked sick. 

"That should be enough," Ryou said, finally coming back to the present, "Um... uh... I don't have a first-aid kit on me... Could someone sacrifice their shirt please?" 

No one moved to sacrifice their shirt, expect for Yugi who was tugging at the buckles on his shirt trying to undo them and failing miserably. 

"I _really_ need one for a make-shift bandage… if I don't stop the bleeding soon I think --no-- I know I'm going to faint from blood loss." Bakura said, his left hand futilely attempting to stifle the flow of blood. 

"I will," Ginny said, making a move to take off her tank top. 

"No! It's okay," Fred yelped. 

"Here's mine," George said, taking off his shirt. 

"No need for it, Ginny," Ron said quickly. 

Ginny smiled, she knew _that_ would move them. 

Ryou took the green shirt, turned it inside out. "Yugi, can I borrow two of your shirt belts?" 

Yugi, who had succeeded in getting two of the three belts unbuckled, passed them to Ryou. 

Ryou wrapped the shirt around his arm and used the belts to secure it. He let the oversized T-shirt he was wearing drop back down over his cut, to his elbow. "Done." 

"Good, now can we go? It might come back." 

"You mean... more?" Ryou asked, as he checked the bandage. 

"Yeah, it's rare for them to travel alone," Fred said. 

Ryou gulped, and decided it was good enough for now. 

"Let's go," Ginny said, still nervous, "I want _home_." 

"G-guys, I think its got friends..." Yugi said, pointing to the shadows of part of the forest where the shadows moved very unnaturally. 

"RUN!" Ron shouted and took his own advice. 

"To late," Ginny whispered, seeing the dementor had retuned with three more of its companions. She sank to her knees whimpering, "No, stop, TOM!" Ginny screamed, pleading with her fears. 

Bakura took only the briefest of instances to collapse again, evidently blood loss and dementors didn't mix. 

"_EXPECTO PAT_--" Before Harry could finish the spell, he was thrown aside. 

A fifth dementor had arrived. 

Harry's outstretched arm hit a tree and his wand was knocked out of his hand. 

The dementor's hood moved, and it glided quickly over to the wand. A scabbed, slimy gray hand took it up. It bought another hand out of the robe and placed it against the other end to-- 

The dementor snapped Harry's wand into a hundred pieces. 

"No," Harry whispered, 

His wand, his first wand, had just been broken. 

Every wizard's wand was unique, but Harry's had been odder than most. The core of the wand was a single phoenix feather, the phoenix who had given the feather was Fawkes, Dumbledore's pet. 

Fawkes had given one other feather, and only one other feather. The other feather was in the core of Voldemort's wand. 

Harry had always been fond of his wand; he had never really cared about that. Until the pervious June, when it had helped him escape the Dark Lord with the 'prior incantium' affect. As long as the two brother wands were forced to fight each other a shadow of every spell they had ever preformed appeared, and while that was happening neither of the bearers could perform a spell. It was a literal pain to keep the connection from being broken but it had counted to Harry as one small defense… 

Now that safeguard was shattered, broken beyond all repair. 

The dementor, upon hearing his protest, turned. Its hand slowly went to its hood to remove it. It was planning on giving him the Kiss... 

For Harry there would be no one to rescue him, besides that he was the only one there who knew how to cast a patronus. His ears filling with his parents screams he looked at his companions: fainted Ryou, wide eyed Yugi, Ginny rocking back and forth, trapped by her own torments. The twins and Ron were encircled and trapped by yet more of the black cloaked dementors. 

Struggling to watch his friends on the verge of blacking out, he saw yet another dementor gliding over. His last look of the world consisted of two more dementors separating from the shadows and gliding over to Yugi and Ryou. 

Then, his vision filled with green flashes. 

"Merlin's wand!" a voice shouted above him, "_Expecto Patronus_!" Harry's sight cleared, showing the dementors leaving the clearing followed by a silver bludger. "_Expecto Patronus_!" repeated the voice, "_EXPECTO PATRONUS_!" A third bludger whizzed in and out of Harry's view. 

With the dementor's overwhelming depression gone, Harry pulled himself up. He looked around to see if any of the   
dementors was left and when seeing none, he looked at his rescuer.   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Stella: Next chapter Friday? With _some_ explanations!!! 


	10. Ch 10: Floating Water

Wind: Many apologizes for this update being so late. No review response because I just don't have the energy, next chapter. I was helping with greyhounds yesterday. From like 9:00 AM to 10:30 PM. That tell yah somethin'? Sorry for the grammar and spelling mistakes. This one I edited myself. Yes, some of it is a little _crude_. 

Disclaimer: I'm sleepy. I'm grumpy. Must you ask?   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Chapter Ten: Floating Water 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Harry studied his rescuer. 

He was young, maybe in his mid-twenties, had dark brown hair and wore gray-blue robes. He also had an expression of shock. "Dementors..." he said, white and pale. 

"Yeah," Fred said, shivering still, "They must have had their charm on full blast, I feel awful." 

"I can't believe it... he said that there would, but..." the wizard said to himself, shaking his head. "This close... I wonder... They were even trying to give out Kisses..." The wizard looked around, his face ashen and grim, "Oh no... it got him..." 

"Maybe," Ginny said, scared and trembling, "But he could have just fainted. I hope." 

Yugi staggered over, and touched a finger to Ryou's palm, "He's still there." He withdrew the finger; having sensed Bakura was still there --unaware but still there. 

"This should wake him, if he still there," the wizard said doubtful. He had seen over eighty dementors, the boy's chance of not having been Kissed were low; hell, it was very luckily as was that the other still remained in possession of their souls. And with one of them Harry Potter, if his guesses were right, and what Charlie had been saying was true, they were double lucky. "Ennerate." 

Ryou stirred and whimpered slightly, "Please, go away, you've had your fun... But it isn't my fault... PLEASE!" Then with a start, he sat up, panting heavily, he saw the strange wizard and jerked away, eyes wide and terror filled. 

Yugi could now understand why Yami was so suspicions of the other spirit. "Bakura," he said gently, putting a hand down on one shoulder, "it's all right, calm down. It's okay." 

However, the shoulder Yugi had put his hand down on, was the left. 

Bakura shied away from him, old instinct taking over. Then seeing it was Yugi, he closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths, wishing way the pain and telling himself that time was over. He opened his eyes again, to see the concerned faces around him. He tried to smile, but it fell flat. 

"Shook of most the shivers?" asked the unknown wizard. 

Ryou nodded, not trusting his voice, he knew he would be fine --after a while, but still... He shivered again. 

"If you can stand that would be enough for now. We need to move--" The man broke off, he saw the splinters wood, with a little red and gold fuzz. "Whose wand was snapped?" 

"Mine," Harry croaked, "It was mine." 

"Yours? Well, pick up the pieces if you wish, but don't dally. Many escaped, they could come back in full force..." 

Harry nodded, and quick scooped the remains into his pocket. "Umm, thanks," he said coming back over to the wizard, "for helping and all." 

"What was I supposed to do?" the wizard as rhetorically, helping Ryou to his feet, "I'm one of Charlie's friends, so when I saw there was a disturbance on the pool, and it was a patronus... Hopkirk wouldn't call in a couple of Hit Wizards, as we're down to skeleton staff there. I came myself; since that is one of the spells that one doesn't use for showing off, or when mad." 

"Thought I recognized you," commented Ron, "Now what? It took us an hour to get up here. And the dementors could come back any time now." 

"Well, we could--no, that wouldn't work." the wizard said, struggling to come up with another idea, but failing. "I think I am going to have to do a mass apparate." 

"Aren't those really easy to bungle and get splinched?" Ron asked, nervous. 

"Yes, but I have done it a handful of times, and I can't think of a better way. I don't want to go back to the headquarters to get Hit Wizards and come back to find you all Kissed." the wizard said, nervously. 

Yugi knew he was out of the loop, something was big about kissing, but Yugi figured now was not the time. He did make mental note though, not to kiss anyone until he knew what was behind that. 

"If it's the only way..." George said, dubious. "What do we do?" 

"You'll need to all stand very close together in front of me so I can see you all," he said, wiping his hands on his robes. He swallowed; this was not going to easy with seven extra people. "Okay," he said as the seven did as he had told them, Yugi still supporting Ryou some. "Now need to try and empty your mind of most thought, it helps if I don't have to struggle against you. Also, try and keep your eyes closed. Some people don't like what apparate looks like at first, and try and stop it then, which is the number one cause of splinching." 

Everyone closed their eyes. The Weasley and Harry because a couple weeks ago Percy had splinched himself, when he had apparated down the breakfast table. For some curious reason, no one had an appetite till lunch. Ryou and Yugi did it because you don't argue with the one who knew what he was doing. 

"Just keep them closed now until I say so, I'm going to be apparating to HQ because the Burrow has wards that keep people from apparating in who aren't family members." Then he said something illegible. 

A cool sensation whooshed over Harry, who squeezed his eyes closed even tighter to keep from looking. Then he felt another whoosh, and the temperature returned to normal. 

"Here we are," the wizard wearily announced, "The Ministry of Magic headquarters. That was easier than expected..." 

And so they went in; each had to tell the tale repeatedly, much to their annoyance. Yugi spent most of his time mentally telling Yami he was fine; apparently whatever it was that had affected him also had affected Yami. Ryou was rather quite, only speaking when spoken to, which was actually often, as they were all questioned aggressively. Finally when Ginny sarcastically asked if they where going to be staying the night, they got the hint. But it was a close call with that. And the Minster of Magic even showed up; he didn't seem to impress Yugi and Ryou at all. Each person was given a portkey to the Burrow.   


Harry felt the pulling on his navel stop, which meant they had arrived. He opened his eye to see one of the four Hit Wizards that had come with them in addition to the Minster, Even, as they had found out their rescuer was named, also had come along. 

Fudge knocked on the door, but there was no answer. Again he rapped on it, but nothing came of it. "This is the Minster of Magic, open up!" he bellowed. 

"Just a minute!" came from the house and the wood door inched open slowly. Mr. Weasley only stuck his head out. When he saw Fudge, he opened his mouth, some odd expression crossing his face. Then saw the children, pale and tired. "What happened?" he asked. 

"Some rouge dementors were in your woods." Fudge answered, pulling out a handkerchief and he mopped his brow. 

"ROUGE DEMENTORS?! HERE?!" Mr. Weasley yelled, then regained control. "Oh my! Come in, come in!" he opened the door to reveal the reason he had not opened it all that widely. For some reason or another, he was only wearing a bathrobe. 

_Maybe he was going to take a shower_, Harry thought as he came in. 

"MOLLY!" yelled Mr. Weasley up the flight of stairs, "YOU HAD BETTER GET DOWN HERE! THE KIDS RAN INTO DEMENTORS." 

Mrs. Weasley came down the stairs at a dead run. She too had a bathrobe on. "What?" she demanded clearly flustered. "Dementors? Oh you poor dears!" she said hugging Ginny tightly. 

"It will be okay ma'am," said one of the Hit Wizards, "As we speak, six teams are combing the woods." 

"The _west_ woods, right?" Mr. Weasley asked his voice suddenly sharp, "That was where they were, and if they weren't..." 

"Yes, yes, they're combing the forest to the west. According to our estimates, it was only about ten..." 

"Ten!?" exclaimed Evan, "Ten?" he repeated, "A hundred is more like it!" 

"Your mind exaggerated them, it was at most fifteen." Fudge said, waving away his protest with a hand. 

"But--" 

"It was fifteen, max," Fudge said, and glared at Evan. 

"Yes, sir," said Evan, looking as though he wanted dearly to say something else, but he decided not to risk his job. 

"I think that you might want to hear what happened," Fudge said, "Harry, I think you should tell it." 

Harry sighed, but could see no recourse, so he told them; when he got to the dementor snapping his wand, both Mr. and Mrs. Weasley gave slight gasps. When that tale had ended, Evan had to tell his. 

He worked at the Improper Use of Magic Office. Evan had been doing his usual job, watching the pool that could detect magic, for any signs of underage magic. He saw the patronus spell, and put the facts together. He told Hopkirk, his supervisor, who had demised it. Luckily, Evan's suspicions were not so easy to allay. He was a friend of Charlie's, one of Ron's brothers. He had gone to the Burrow many times and had met Mrs. Weasley. That had formed the opinion that something would have to be wrong for someone to use magic. Hopkirk had said she would send some Hit Wizard later, when they came back from their break, but for Evan, that wasn't enough. He had apparated to the disturbance, and saw the dementor trying to Kiss someone. 

"Well," he said, concluding it, "I used the patronus charm, and Harry's told you the rest. Good thing for you guys that I aced Advance Defense Against the Dark Arts." 

"Yes, good thing," said Mrs. Weasley, getting up, "Well, Minster, I'm sure you have more important things to do than comfort distressed mothers, and the Ministry won't run itself." 

"All too true," said the Minister, doffing his hat, "Good bye." he and the Hit Wizard strode out, and Evan followed a minute later, after giving shrug and a farewell. 

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley both sat down, looking shell shocked. After a few minutes Mrs. Weasley finally spoke, "That was... unexpected to say the least. I'd better call the Professor." She went over to the fireplace, and threw a handful of powder on it. "Albus Dumbledore," she commanded, and after a little while, the old man's face appeared in the fire. 

"What is it, Molly?" he asked concerned. 

"Harry, tell him what happened. I know you feel like you've told it a million times, but this is the last time it's necessary." Mrs. Weasley said, positioning Harry in front of the fire. 

So once more, for what felt like the seven hundredth time, Harry told of what had transpired that afternoon. When Harry got to the part about his wand, Professor Dumbledore turned stony. 

When Harry had finished, Professor Dumbledore said: "Ginny, can you describe how you felt?" 

"No, not really it was just a feeling. I felt a sort of darkness and well what I can only describe as a feeling of... evil... I know, I know, silly, but it's what it felt like," Ginny said, trying to laugh at her self. 

"No, it isn't," said Dumbledore, "It makes prefect sense. You, and Yugi and Ryou too, probably can sense magic. It is a rather rare talent, no more two dozen living wizards have it." 

"W-what?" asked Ginny. Was it true for once _she_ was special? 

"'You heard me well enough, I think. Arthur, go into the next room and preform a splell." 

Mr. Weasley nodded, and went. 

"Now, Ginny, Ryou, Yugi, close your eyes and just try to feel what spell he's doing." Dumbledore said. 

The three teens did, that and tried. Then each felt it. Ryou felt as though he was in a sea, but that couldn't be it, so he pushed that effect away and tried to feel the magic. Ginny felt as though she was floating on a cloud. Yugi felt like he was trying to walk on water. The feeling died away. 

"Well, what do think it was?" asked Mr. Weasley as he came back into the room. 

"Umm... a spell... that does... ummm... Can you come back to me?" asked Yugi. 

"No, not the spell," Professor Dumbledore chided, "the _feel_." 

Ginny and Yugi described how they felt, but when it came to Ryou-- 

"I didn't really sense anything," he admitted, shamed. 

"Nothing different than usual?" pressed Dumbledore. 

"No, not..." Ryou trailed off. Just maybe it was that feel, after all it was a little more... moist then the others, "I did feel like I was a drift in a sea..." But that was rather normal for him, feeling lost and alone. 

"Well, Arthur, now that we heard their feelings, tell us what spell you cast." 

"A simple levitation charm." 

"Hmm... that wouldn't explain the feeling that each felt involving moisture though," said Dumbledore, pondering. 

"I did levitate water... Would that explain it?" Mr. Weasley asked. 

"Yes, that would..." Dumbledore fell silent for a little while. "Well, no matter," he finally said, "you three can sense magic. And in time you'll learn how to identify what particular spell is being used, and if the feeling of water each of you had is any indication, will learn how to even get a general idea of what it is being used on. you will likely far surpass me. How humble will I be when this summer ends?" he asked himself, seeming to forget that the connection was still open. 

"Professor," Ginny said, ignoring his little ramblings to himself, "why is it that for a while that feeling went away?" 

"That is a very good question. They could have gone away, or they can mask their presence... They've done it before. Magic sensing can be very useful, it can show who where people are when there invisible," he said, giving Harry and Ron one of his _looks_, "but it can also be tricked. It should be like any tool, should be treated with some caution. Is that all for now?" 

"I think it is..." said Yugi, looking at Ryou with a little concern. He had been quite for a while... maybe this was normal behavior for him. Yugi was now beginning to realize just how little he knew about him. 

"Good," said Dumbledore, "Molly, Arthur, I need to talk to you." 

Once more the youths were shooed out. They sat at the kitchen table, eating chocolate (which was another thing about their well being that the Hit Wizard forgot).   


After some time, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley returned. 

"Well," said Mrs. Weasley, "tomorrow we're going to Diagon Alley..." 

"That's good," Ginny replied, rather intent upon the chocolate. 

"Hey, Mum," Ron said through a mouthful of chocolate, "why are you wearing bathrobes?" 

"Umm... about that..." Mr. Weasley said, blushing. 

"That's none of your concern," Mrs. Weasley interrupted. 

Ginny's eyes all sudden widened to the size of saucers. "Mum, Dad, you didn't!" she exclaimed. 

Mr. Weasley flushed beet-red, but did not protest. Mrs. Weasley just sat there, as if to say 'so what?' 

"Didn't wha--" Fred began, then he too figured it out. "Oh God, they did." 

Ron mouth formed a soundless 'ohhh'; George and his twin exchanged a look; Harry was clueless for a second, then recalled a movie that Dudley had watched, that his parents didn't know about; Yugi was slightly philosophical about, after all, all those other children... However, Ryou just looked... confused...   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   
Stella: Sorry this was so late, again. 

**I need info on Yami Bakura. Anything from the manga or the sub is great!**


	11. Ch 11: Ollivanders

Stella: Hey, it has been little over a month since I started this. Now almost a hundred reviews and on Chapter Eleven. Sorry Ten was so late and no review responses. I was planning to post it on Friday, maybe a little before eight, but I had to do some stuff. Then on Saturday, I was going to post once I got back from helping with the greyhounds. However, I went down at some unholy hour to the site. I didn't get back 'til after mid-night. Wind came too, so we _did _have a fun planing session. (*Wind begins to giggle insanely. Stella kicks her softly*) Last chapter is why I decided to rate it PG-13. 

Silver Angel: Don't kill the messenger, nor the author... But, I think Wind wouldn't have mind Yami Malik and Yami Bakura coming over. She went all starry eyed... -_-u A little less cliffies planned. I know about the tomb robber bit. I heard rumor or two about the last piece and that is what prompted this query. Truth be told, I wouldn't doubt that either. 

Behold the Void: If you mean the last chapter than your opion is higher than mine. That last one is my least favorite so far. 

Goddess Kumori Dragon, FireSenshi, Gijinka Renamon, Lily of the Shadow, Audrey Koch, Evergladelord, and Sarah: THANK YOU!!! 

Moon Child: Not quite... ^_^ 

Lily of the Shadow: Poor Ryou indeed... 

Cettie-girl: Oops... mistake, I think. Saw through that didn't you? Yes, that new found sense will be _fun_... 

AliasForever: No, I was late. 

RyouSyaoran: Now a little angst too! 

Shinigami-chan: *giggles* As far as I can tell that was AM. Glad you like it so much. 

Alaena Flame Dragonstar: I'm happy you thought the beginning is interesting, I am doing my best to be original. 

Hikaru: Yami Bakura is in his soul room, not paying much attention to _anything_. Yami is reliving his bad memories, mainly when he thought Yugi was dead (duel with Pegasus). He is rather shaken by that. 

gala: Well, here is another.   


Chibizoo: Your welcome. Cheered up some, though I have read some of Neko-chan's stuff before (some of them are angst, can't keep Wind away sometimes those -_-) . _Lesser Deities_... XD   


Disclaimer: See last chap. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Chapter Eleven: Ollivanders 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

The rest of the evening, Ron, Ginny, Harry and the twins continued to give Mr. Weasley and Mrs. Weasley odd looks; while Yugi alternated from odd looks and amusement at the looks of Ron, Ginny, Harry and the twins faces. Bakura however looked thoroughly confused. He had his suspicions about it all.   


A snowy owl hooted softly, in its cage, above Ryou's head. Dressed in an oversized T-shirt he favored --because it hid his scar from when Yami Bakura had made that pact with Malik-- and a pair of boxers, he padded softly around the room. After that day's adventure, the other three boys had fallen asleep, but he could not. 

Bast, so many white lies that day. Why on earth had he been defending his yami any way? It was *stupid*. His yami used to hurt almost on the hour, when mad. Ryou was really surprised that Yami had bought that bit about the fire and popcorn. Why he had not told Yami what really happened, that Yami Bakura had thrown the bookend at him, and when he had failed to dodge, it had hit him in his shoulder. Yami Bakura just looked at him in disgust, calling him a weakling and a baby... why had he defended him? Why? 

His hands, while he was in turmoil, had balled up into fists, and now the brief flash of pain as his finger nails dug into his palm brought him out of his inner turmoil. He looked out to the hill, in the west. The lights were now there again, and it looked like they were in a clearing, which they had flooded with lights. He shook his head trying to clear it. He didn't know what he was doing defending the grave robber, so what? Life next to never made sense. _Grr..._ he thought, _Ry, you must stop thinking about that,_ he thought to himself, then in shock: _Gosh, that's odd. It's been _ages _since I last thought of myself in third person, not since I got the Ring... and him..._ Ryou bit his lip, once more his thoughts were dwelling on that... Why was he doing this, he was blowing the incident out of proportion. One little twist of the truth to keep his yami from being torn apart by Yami, and he was agonizing. 

He had a little trouble with telling people everything, he had admitted to himself. The spirit had taught him that much. Not even his own father knew the whole truth about Yami Bakura. When Ryou had told his father about the spirit, he had not said much about what the spirit used to do. Since it was after Battle City had been cleared up, Ryou figured it wouldn't do much good anyway. His father could do nothing about it so why bother. Ryou reflected how lucky he was that his father had believed him. He sighed, he need to get his mind off his yami for a while. He thought of what had happened that day. 

So many of the pieces in this puzzle fit false. Mrs. Weasley forcing them out the house, and ordering them to stay away for the day. Then those dementors, why would they go rouge? He had read up about them that evening, they were in charge of some really important wizards prison. But though that isle, Azkaban was located on was a poor feeding ground, (dementors fed off emotions) it was not logical for them to abandon it. In _An Introduction to the Magical World_ it clearly said they were one of the more hated and reviled races. This act of violence would surely ruin much of their public image. It would be a major scandal, if the wizards' media was anything like theirs. This little affair would likely not die down for weeks or even months. Also what Mr. and Mrs. Weasley implied what they had been doing, didn't fit together either. First of all, why had Percy been allowed to stay? Sure he had been up in his room when he had been called down for supper, but even after Ron told him bout their parents suspected... _actives... _he didn't seem to care. And Mr. Weasley wasn't all that good of an actor, the air between the two just didn't seem right. Then again... this could have been produced by an over active imagination, too little sleep and a yami which had gotten him into the habit of seeing a plot in the most unlikely of places. 

His yami.... Yami Bakura had remained uncommonly quite. Ryou thought it might have to do with that picture that the grave robber had seen earlier, ever since then he had remained silent, and had drawn back to his soul-room, even after the dementors, he had barely even noticed them. In fact he had thought Ryou had been remembering it all for the _fun_ of it! And after his yami had called him the usual things, he had not said a word since. Ryou tried to feel if his yami was still there, but felt nothing; it might be because he was so used to him. 

\You there?\ he asked, suddenly worried. 

\\Yes, I am,\\ came the weary response. 

\Oh, okay,\ Bakura sighed, as he saw it was midnight. 

\\What is it? You have distracted me enough; there is no hope now. Something is bothering you, what is it?\\ Yami Bakura asked, and there was a light tug on their bond, for the consent to given, since the yamis could only appear in solid form if there hikaris gave permission. Ryou agreed automatically. 

"It is just that this whole thing doesn't make a full picture," said Ryou, as he watched his other appear beside him. 

"What doesn't make a full picture?" asked Yami Bakura raising an eyebrow, his hikari always forgo little details such as explanations. 

Ryou sat down on his bed. Haltingly, he told his yami what had transpired that day, how Mrs. Weasley had pushed them out of the house, when the dementors had attacked, and his analog of a puzzle. 

"Hmm..." Yami Bakura said, after Bakura had finished. "This is odd, I don't think--" Yami Bakura looked at Bakura, who had after hearing that it wasn't just him jumping at shadows, had relaxed, and in that relaxation, he had given himself over to sleep. "Weakling..." muttered Yami Bakura as hoisted the rest of Ryou into the bed; it would look slightly more natural that way, when the others awoke. Yami Bakura covered him with a blanket, and went back to the Ring, and tried to regrasp that lost thread of the past. 

*** 

Then next morning, Yugi woke up around six. He was adjusting to the time change fairly well. Reading pasted the time until about eight, when Mrs. Weasley woke them up, to prepare to go to Diagon Ally. Finally around ten, everyone was fully awake (especially Bakura, he had fallen asleep while brushing his teeth, and only Harry's quick action saved him from trying to make a pillow out of his breakfast. 

"Well, that just about covers how to use Floo powder," Mrs. Weasley said. 

"Urr... I guess so...." said Yugi still looking dubiously at the pot of powder, and then the fire, 

"Just make sure you speak very clear," Harry stressed, "my first experience with Floo powder end up with me being on the bad side of the town." 

"Ehhee..." Yugi looked at the powder with even more distrust. 

"Here, let Ginny go first," Mrs. Weasley said, offering the pot to Ginny. 

The red-haired girl took a pinch of the powder, "Diagon Alley!" she said tossing the dust into the fire. She stepped into the fireplace and vanished. 

"That is how you do it. Ron, you can show him too." 

Ron sighed and took small handful, "Diagon Alley," he said, his tone cuasal, convincing Yugi that it wasn't all that common for you to mess this up. 

"Now your turn," Mrs. Weasley said turning to Yugi. 

Yugi scooped up some of the fine powder. "I just throw it on to the fire, step in, and say 'Diagon Alley'?" he said, still nervous. 

"Yes, just need to say Diagon Alley correctly." 

Yugi nodded, and moved to stand in front of the fire, "Diagon Alley." He whirled around, than came to an abrupt halt. A minute or so after him came Ryou, who had to brush soot out of hair, while Yugi tried not to giggle too much. 

"Well," Mrs. Weasley said after all had come thorough the grate, "were to first?" 

"Quality Quidditch Supplies!" 

"New robes!" 

"Ollivanders!" Harry said 

"Ollivanders first, I think," said Mrs. Weasley "Harry, Yugi and Ryou do need new wands..." 

"Okay, we're going to joke shop then." Fred and George only got ten feet. 

"Oh no you don't, we're going to stick together. No one is to go off by themselves." Mr. Weasley said firmly. 

"But, Dad, Fred is coming with me!" 

"No," Mr. Weasley said, and that was that. 

"Parents..." the twin said simultaneous, with a glare at them. 

Yugi and Ryou stared, Diagon Alley was _amazing_, with the magic all about. Looking at the shops fronts, they nearly crashed into Mrs. Weasley, when she came to a halt. 

"Here we are," she announced, "Ollivanders." She entred the old, battered looking shop. 

The others followed. A bell rang to report their arrival. A musty smell greeted them, like the shop had not been aired for many years. The tall, dark, aged shelves held box upon long slim box. One single fragile looking chair was in the shop, of to side. The main area of the floor was free of dust, but the corners, were full, only with an occasionally shoe print here and there. 

"Good morning," said a voice from the back of the shop. 

Yugi jumped and Ryou tensed. 

"Hello," Mrs. Weasley said briskly, "You got the letter saying Harry's wand broke, I presume?" 

"Yes," said the man, his tone holding sorrow, "I did. Grave news." He looked at Ryou and Yugi, "You two must be those special cases." 

"Yes, I guess we are." Yugi said. 

"Let see, that would make it three people for new wands? Well than--" 

The bell rang again. 

"Ah, that would be the other one. This shall cut my work some." 

Through the door came came a stern looking woman with glasses, in robes, and behind her, none other than --in one of those lavender shirts he favored so much-- Malik Ishtar, possessor of the Millennium Rod. 

"Malik!" Yugi half shouted. 

"You!" Ryou exclaimed. 

"You! Yugi!" yelped Malik. 

The three boys stood in a triangle, each tensed, their stance, that of battle. 

After a minute of this Malik shook his head. "I am not here hurt either one of you. Bakura: you won't slash your arm. And Yugi, we aren't going to duel." 

Claps came from behind him. And Isis walked into the store. 

"Very good, you three aren't fighting. _For once._" She smiled at Yugi, and nodded at Ryou curtly. She understood that he had the tomb robber as a yami, but she didn't _entirely_ trust him. 

"I take it you four have met?" asked the woman who had come in before Malik. 

"Yes, Professor McGonagall, we have." Malik said. 

"Er-- I think I missed something," Ron conclude. 

"Uh, yeah, you sort did," Ryou said, calming down some. 

"As interesting as this might be," Mr. Ollivander said, "shall we get back to the subject of wands?" 

"Yeah, we should," said Malik quickly. There was no need to drag up the past yet. 

"Very well than. The four of you stand in a line." Mr. Ollivander said. 

The four boys shuffled themselves awkwardly into one. Yugi, then Ryou, next Harry, standing in between Ryou and Malik. 

Mr. Ollivander pulled a wand out of a box. "Here you try it first and if it doesn't work, pass it to the next," he said and gave the wand to Yugi, "Nine and a half inches, willow, swishy, with unicorn hair." 

Yugi waved it; a few half hearted sparks shot out the end. 

Mr. Ollivander shook his head. So Yugi passed it to Ryou, who also got a couple of sparks, but passed it to Harry. Harry got none. Therefore he passed it to Malik, who had the same luck as Yugi and Ryou. 

And so the process continued, each boy waving a wand, with all but Harry getting a few sparks, with the exception of couple of wands, but Mr. Ollivander told him to pass them on. Until--   
  
"Pine and phoenix feather, eleven and half inches, pliable." 

Yugi waved, and passed it to Harry, before the seven sparks that had fallen from it faded. 

Harry gripped it, feeling the happier instantly, and brought it down. Little sparkles formed around him, then burst, creating more. 

The effect lasted from three minutes or so. 

"Yes, that is your new wand." Mr. Ollivander held up a hand to frostall Harry's question. "It has no brother." 

"Oh, all right then." Harry said, just a bit disappointed. 

"Now you can get acquainted with it while I find these three wands."   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

**Still need more info Yami Bakura.**

Stella: We've been working on this chapter in our free time, so I only needed to edit it. Yes, this (as you can tell by the mistakes) is one_ I_ edited. But your to blame an mistakes on Wind. 

Wind: Stella! 

Stella: Please review! 


	12. Ch 12: Phoenix Rising

Wind: Yes, another one of the edited-by-us-only wonders. Thanks to Liz for sending me that e-mail. I am going to give another reminder to all you that we only have the dubbed. I use most of the Japanese names because they're better. 

Goddess Kumori Dragon: Hey, your welcome. I do something like this when someone asks question or says something I want to comment on. 

Behold the Void: That as it may be I still truly dislike ten. Four out of five. Thanks! 

Shade Azuna and Alaena Flame Dragonstar: It's okay. I got some info. 

Lily of the Shadow, Silver Angel, Cettie-girl, and fifth grade freak: Thanks ^_^ 

Hikaru: 'Tis okay. I have to do that a lot too. Yes there is a little of that but there are reasons. So far the only trouble they've had is finding their wands. They each get responses from one usually, but it only couple of sparks. It happens because they have a lot of magic. 

DarkSpellCaster: Don't worry, it should (I hope) come back. 

lk: I know that, remember Yami's idea near the end of chapter seven? Real. Two souls, two different ... whatever you want to call it. More in chapter ??. (Whenever that day ends.) Thanks for the bit about Yami Bakura!!! 

Disclaimer: If I owned Yu-Gi-Oh would I be asking questions bout Yami Bakura? Or if I owned Harry Potter, waiting for the fifth book?   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Chapter Twelve: Phoenix Rising 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Harry waved his wand and watched yet another string of sparks fall out. This was becoming monotonous. Yugi, Malik, and Ryou _still _had not found a wand yet. He watched Mr. Ollivander pass the three another wand, Yugi waved, then as only three sparks floated out, passed it to Ryou, who in turned gave it to Malik. Nope, still not the right wand. 

Mr. Ollivander passed no other wand for Yugi try. 

"What is it?" asked Yugi, curious of the sudden lack. Usual the man snatched it to the next person before he could give it a good wave. 

"I... have run out of wands...." His eyes had lit up with glee. 

"What?" Professor McGonagall exclaimed. "What?" 

"I have run out of wands," repeated Mr. Ollivander, he seemed rather happy about these tricky customers. "Oh, I have challenge!" 

He began to bustle about grabbing things in the back. He dragged a table into the room and began to pile things upon it. Going back to the back he seized some boxes and began to hum to himself. 

"Well, my family have been wand makers since 382 BC, and we have never, _never_, had a person who we didn't find a wand. Your three are the first." 

Yugi, Ryou, Malik, and Isis exchanged a look. 

\\_If seven more of these indents occur..._\\ the pharaoh threatened, \\_I _will_ start looking for cameras..._\\ 

"I will need to custom make your wands. This could produce a very nice paper..." Mr. Ollivander said, gathering together boxes. "However, that means that this may take a while... The children are all ready bored, I think if one of you went--" 

"No," said Mrs. Weasley, cutting him off, "they stay." 

"But, Mum!" was protested by Ron. 

"No," she said firmly, "you aren't going." 

"Parents..." was once more muttered. 

"I'll start with you," said Mr. Ollivander, pointing to Yugi, "I think.... a phoenix wand might work well. Hm...." He scuffled around and bought down from the beneath the table a box. He opened it. In it were slim bundles, each labeled. 

"Which to chose from?" he murmured to himself. "Why not? You are interested in Egypt are you not?" he asked Yugi. 

"Yeah." 

"I have one particularly odd set of phoenix feathers form there." 

"Odd?" asked Yugi. "How?" 

"I was in Egypt, at Heliopolis, for a conference. I was at an old ruin, site seeing. There I saw a flame in the distance. Well I thought it was a flame, in reality it was a magnificent phoenix. It was at least half again as large as a normal one. It landed beside me, perched on a rock. It pulled one feather form his right wing, the outer most feathers, and did the same with the other. Immediately after doing so, fire consumed it, but as it brunt, it looked me in the eye. Its eyes, unlike the normal phoenix, were golden. If that was not odd enough, when it was reborn form the ashes, it was full-grown. It skipped all growth stages. It just flew off after that..." As Mr. Ollivander had been telling his tale, he had taken one of the pieces of wand wood, and carefully inching one of three feathers down it. 

"Try this," he said, passing it to Yugi, "Elm, and ten inches." 

Yugi held it, half of his thoughts still on the phoenix. He waved it, like he had the others, but unlike the others, this one shot out more than ten sparks, all glittering, not dull. 

However, it did not satisfy Mr. Ollivander. He plucked it out of Yugi's hand. "No," he said, "almost, but not quite... the wood, I think. What a pity, this shall take a while." 

It did. They tried beech, rowan, elm, ash, oak, holly, and yew. Lengths varied from six to sixteen inches. But still, all gave that half responses, none right one. Mr. Ollivander, though still delighted about a challenge, was becoming baffled. 

Ryou, who after it had become apparent that he and Malik would not be testing wands --since it seemed the right core had been found, for Yugi-- was reading a paperback. He looked up from it as an idea struck him. 

"Try and use _both_ feathers, sir," he said, getting off of the floor from the cross-legged position he had been in. 

"What, a double core? Well, I guess it couldn't hurt. It might work, it could be needed to handle all the extra power." Mr. Ollivander picked up a willow stick, and proceeded to gently, but efficiently push the two feathers down. He gave the wand to Yugi. 

Yugi swished it. 

Flame colored sparks shot out. But the willow exploded, showering the room with splinters. Some of the splinters were on fire adding to the chaos. Everyone had to rush about, putting out small fires. Luckily, nothing really caught fire thanks to Mr. Ollivander's fire proofing charms, except for the parchment that he wrapped the wands in. But Isis was able to keep it in check, and Percy rushed over and put it out with two or three spells. 

"Well," Mr. Ollivander said weakly, "I think we have the right _core_... but not the right wood..." 

"Um... sorry," said Yugi looking at the looking at the ashes. 

"It's fine," Mr. Ollivander said. "At least now where we're on the right track." 

"I don't think willow is right," Isis agreed, "Do you by any chance have frankincense?" 

"Frankincense?" said Mr. Ollivander, caught off guard, "An odd one, but than again, an odd person." He looked at Yugi's hair. 

Yugi wasn't sure that was a complement, or an insult. This old man with strange silver eyes was hard to read. 

"Yes," Isis persisted, "but do you have any frankincense?" 

"In a way; it's raw, not cut to any particular length or anything." 

"Really?" asked Isis, "Then make it sev-- no, fourteen inches." 

"If you in insist... Just remember, it is going to cost extra." 

"I'll be paying for the wands," Isis said before Yugi could react, "it's the least I can do." 

"For mine too?" asked Ryou. 

"Of course." 

"Okay," Ryou said and went back to his book, then sighed, and shook his head. "Cliffhanger, damn." He put it into his pocket, glad he chosen that pair of jeans. "Hey, Malik," he said. "Did you know that 'ghoul' also means someone who robs graves?" 

Malik glared at him, "Yes, I do," he said threw gritted teeth. "And before you an make that next remark, no." 

Ryou bit his tongue, at his reply about the ironies of that. He was trying to be friendly, but had fallen flat. Well... the subject was a _bit _inappropriate. He sighed; at first Diagon Alley had seemed very interesting, but now it was becoming boring. Might have something to do with the fact he had been in this shop for over an hour. His yami was thinking about something, so no use talking to him, if Ryou wanted to keep his head. He sighed again. 

Harry had long since gotten tried of playing with his new wand, it was nice, but it wasn't _his_ wand, it was a replacement. And a rather poor one at that. _Okay,_ he thought to himself, _I'm being just a bit biased, but damnit, I want _my_ wand. Not this one. _Mine_._ He waved it again hoping that some how he would get the response he had from his first wand when he did something like that, but all he go was one little spark that disappeared before a heartbeat. He blew out a breath of frustration, and pocketed it. He began to review all the spells he knew in his mind. 

The other Weasley had long since scattered about the shop, Ginny looking at her crushes; Ron wondering how old Isis was (_boy, is she an armful_). Percy was reading a small booklet; Fred was seeing how long it could take one Filibuster Wet-start Firework to go off when the wick was placed in small pool of saliva. George was snoozing in patch of sun. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were on one side of the room with McGonagall talking in very low voices. Isis was nearby wondering if Tutankhamen was right. Malik had also taken the chance for extra sleep. 

"Here, try this," said Mr. Ollivander, and hand Yugi the frankincense wand. 

Yugi took. As his hand closed around it, he felt sudden warmth flowing though him, like he had just stepped out of a building with the air conditioning on too high, into a dry heat. A sudden wind whipped up though out the shop, waking George and Malik. The wind tussled Yugi's hair paying no attention to the gel he had put in that morning. 

He waved his whole arm this time, from left to right, seven fiery sparks flowed out. The seven sparks grew larger and larger, then burst, into dozens more. All the sparks then came together, then disappeared. Not into thin air, but became a tongue of fire. Fire that burned crimson. Fire that began to form a shape. The shape became a phoenix, a glowing more gold than anything, phoenix. 

It circled around Yugi, once, then twice. It wheeled about him seven times total. Then hovered vertical above him, wings raised aloft, tail less than a foot from Yugi's head. It hovered for a long moment, and burst in to a million golden sparks above Yugi. The golden sparks showed down on Yugi, each vanishing after they touched him. 

"Whoa..." said Malik, summing up what most of them thought. 

"That," Mr. Ollivander said into the shocked silence that followed, "that is the right wand... Ah, you two now," said Mr. Ollivander, "we have already used all the premade wands in the shop, so that eliminates much... Hmm..." 

"Err... you mentioned dragon heartstring a lot, maybe we should try that," Malik offered. 

"Hm, that _might _work...." 

And so the process continued, Mr. Ollivander giving just made wands to both Malik and Bakura (since they hadn't found the right core for one of them, there was no need to exclude the other), who flicked them. But still nothing worked until Mr. Ollivander gave Malik one with a dragon heartstring (from a Hebridean Black, what ever that meant) and myrrh, that one almost worked, but yet it was missing something. 

"Try another dragon string," said Isis. "I mean Yugi and Malik are both powerful, so the each might need an extra core. Try one that's is a little more... _poisonous_..." 

"Maybe a Peruvian Vipertooth?" suggested Professor McGonagall, speaking up for first time in a while. 

"Hm..." Mr. Ollivander looked at the boxes again. "There is one that I think would suit him; the Vipertooth who gave this one was a golden one, instead of the usual copper coloring. It was also a near miracle how no one was killed when it was taken down." Mr. Ollivander took out the heartstring and slid it in to the myrrh. 

Malik nodded noncommittally. He wasn't really in he mood for stories right now, he just wanted to get his wand. He took the wand from Mr. Ollivander when he offered it. He swung it and a sudden darkness swept through the shop, the world around them seem to fade away. 

They were now in the shadow realm.   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Stella: Sorry about the cliffhanger; It's the best place in my opinion to cut it off. Next one coming soon!   



	13. Ch 13: Cypress and Cryptic

Stella: I have been writing this chapter for while, so don't expect the next one to be so long. 

Review responses: 

DarkSpellCaster, Evergladelord, Goddess Kumori Dragon, Yohko Koani, Sarah, Cettie-girl: Thanks! 

Alaena Flame Dragonstar: Yep! 

Hikaru: Malik's wand. What do you expect? Fluffy bunnies? ^_~ Would be funny. Very funny. 

Behold the Void: My hypothesis for why chapter 10 was so bad is that about a page into it, I finally wrote all I had written in the notebook; so after that I was on my own. I had a bit of problem with transition I think. 

Silver Angel: Yeah, I was evil to do that. ^_^   


Disclaimer: See last chapter. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Chapter Thirteen: Cypress and Cryptic 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   


Malik's simple wave of a wand, which he thought would have had he same result as the others: to get the second core pulled out and replaced with a different one. But this one was not what he had expected. What was the likelihood of it transporting them to the shadow realm? He was having the most rotten luck. 

"MALIK!!!" Isis shouted, looking at the purple shadows that where growing in the corners of the building rapidly. 

"I can't stop it. The wand is doing it!" Malik shouted back, looking ashen. 

"WELL _TRY_!" Isis yelled. 

Malik changed his grip on the wand from like Mr. Ollivander showed him, to how he held the Rod. He closed his eyes till he could only see through slits, then he concentrated all his power to bring them back out, safe. 

The wand it seemed had other ideas. It wouldn't let him. The two battled the other mentally, Yugi, Ryou, and Isis, could sense this, and gave him all the support they could. Ginny also could sense the magic of where they were, but she had no idea were she was, and she could feel the darkness of he magic around her. She --driven by raw instinct-- pushed away from every thing she could, like she had when Tom Riddle had used her. Her push made it even harder for Malik to keep the wand in check, for her push was to get away from _everything_. The push almost severed their bond to Earth. Malik's attention was split between fighting the wand and keeping their bond to Earth. Without that, it would be much harder to return. 

He felt another presence helping him, Yami Bakura. _What took him so long_? Malik wondered, taking this last bit of power. It gave him the edge above the wand. 

The shadows disappeared, and they were returned. 

"Well," said Isis in the shocked silence, "would that be his wand?" 

"Yes," Mr. Ollivander said, "yes, I think that would be his..." 

"It fits him too," said semi-sarcastically remarked someone. In all the excitement Yami Bakura had taken over. "Having to fight it and all, really fits him." He patted Malik on the shoulder, mockingly. 

"Shut up you," Isis commanded, seeing which it was. "Let's get your wand now." 

"Well, what are the core choices?" asked the tomb robber. 

"Three, and it's the wand that chooses the wizard." Mr. Ollivander said, miffed. "The three cores we use are: phoenix feathers, dragon heartstrings and unicorn hairs." 

"Three different cores?" asked Yami Bakura. He quickly did a little scan of Ryou's memory of what had happened since they entered the store. Ah, so Yugi had gotten phoenix, and Malik dragon, which meant, if this a little logical he would get-- "I think unicorn would work... Maybe one with an odd story, like the others." And if the wood's pattern followed... 

"Odd story?" Mr. Ollivander said "An odd request, but there is this one... well, really two hairs... I think I have something that might suit you." He shuffled around a little, looking for it. "Here it is," he said, and unwrapped the little package. "These hairs come from two different unicorns. I was searching for unicorns to pluck hairs from, I was having no luck whatsoever. Then, when I was heading back, out of the reserve in the forest I saw two unicorns. One was normal enough, but the others was _black_." 

The meaning of this was missed by Isis, Malik, Yami Bakura, and Yugi, but not to the others. 

"Black?" was repeated by many of the others. 

"Yes, black as moonless night." Mr. Ollivander confirmed. "I couldn't believe it myself at first, but once I had excepted it, I saw what a chance it was. So I carefully snuck up behind both of them downwind and simultaneously pulled a hair from each. I was nearly lost my life then, I was really lucky to have the portly on me back to the lodge. And once I did get there and told my tale to some of the rangers there, they laughed and decided the reason I had only gotten two hairs was because I had been in the bottle." Mr. Ollivander continued, aggrieved. "Even when I showed them the black hair they didn't believe me." Mr. Ollivander sighed, and passed the birch stick he had put the two hairs together in to Yami Bakura. 

Yami held it for a second, and looked at it long and hard, finally he gave it back to Mr. Ollivander. "It won't work, try..." He thought for a second. If he remembered correctly... the others sort of made sense, so for him... "I think you should use cypress wood, cut like Isis had said, fourteen inches" 

"Cypress?" said Mr. Ollivander his eyebrows raised, "Not one you hear often, may I ask why you think it would work?" 

Yami Bakura managed not to roll his eyes at the old man's question, but it wasn't easy. "Look," he demanded, "do you want to be here for two more hours? If not, then try it!" 

Ginny eyes were wide. She didn't think Ryou would snap like that. Sure Mr. Ollivander was a _little_ nosy, but acting like that wasn't called for. _Then again,_ she thought,_ it has been a while. An even with temper, he is nice guy..._ Ginny sighed and stared at the floor. _I'm not much of one to talk about tempers either. He also may have a reason to snap. Yesterday, when the dementor's effect got us... The second time, when he had to have a revving charm. When he was coming out of it... He must have gone through a lot for that. Like me._ Ginny closed her eyes, letting herself remember it all again. She figured if she did it enough the ache that accompanied it would go away. After she had ridden that mental roller coaster, she opened her eyes to see Mr. Ollivander careful lowering the two twisted hairs into the wand wood. She judged it was likely cypress, as Ryou was only tapping his foot and had a slight frown. 

"There," said Mr. Ollivander giving the wand to him. How ever Mr. Ollivander had been convinced to use cypress she didn't know, but the way he had been convinced was not one Mr. Ollivander had liked by his tone of voice. 

"Thank you," said the teenager, almost mocking him. 

The wand was waved. An image appeared on the floor. It was of a building, but it was rotating so quickly Ginny couldn't recognize it. The top of it lifted up, and disappeared, as did the next layer. It slowed down a little, but it was now unrecognizable. A silver spark shoot out of the wand and moved through the little maze. Ginny sneaked a glance at the one who had waved the wand. His eyes where wide, and looked as though he was seeing something none of them could see. 

The apparition then blanked out of sight, and his eyes refocused. 

"What could...?" he whispered. He than shook his head. His shoulders relaxed. 

Yugi saw that the tomb robber was letting Bakura have control back. Good thing too. He had gotten real nervous when Mr. Ollivander tried to use birch instead of cypress. Yami had been ready to take over the instant it looked like there would be any real trouble. Thankfully for Ryou's reputation and Yugi _slight_ peace of mind, it had not gotten worse. 

"Well," said Mr. Ollivander, plunking the wand out off Ryou's hand, "it looked like you were right." 

Ryou saw a small chance. "I'm sorry that I snapped like that. I was just getting bored and I wanted to see the rest of this place before dinner." He wished his yami wasn't so... nearly everything. 

"Apology accepted." 

"Thanks." 

"Now we come to matter of payment," Mr. Ollivander said. "This is not going to be cheap... the custom work... the shattered wand wood..." 

"That is fine," interrupted Isis. "I'm paying, remember?" 

"Isis, as much as appreciate this, I can pay for myself," Yugi said, feeling acutely embarrassed. 

"Yugi, I can afford it. Look at all the jewelry we wear! I do get paid," Isis said, smile hinting around her lips. 

"If you insist..." Yugi conceded. 

"Have you any of these 'Galleons'? It's the name of some of currency that wizards use," she added, seeing Yugi flushed and then confused face. "I'm guessing not. We had to have our money specially changed for that." 

"Oh..." 

Isis paid for Malik's, Ryou's, and Yugi's wands. Harry paid for his. They left the dank shop. 

"Hey," said Isis, giving Yugi a quick hug. "Been a while, huh?" 

"Sort of," responded Yugi, looking at Malik, his forehead wrinkled. 

"Yugi," said Malik, noticing his gaze, "I have that under control. Isis wouldn't have let me out of the house other wise." 

Professor McGonagall had been talking to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley in a low voice. "I need to attend to something," she said. "Isis, Malik, I will be back in an hour or so. Until then you can shop with the Weasleys." She walked off. 

"Well, looks like were going to be stuck together for a while," Isis said. "I don't really mind either. You three need to learn to get along together anyway. Yugi, um... sorry we didn't send you and Yami a message about this stuff." 

"And we forgot to send you one..." Yugi said, blushing. "So we're even." 

Isis smiled, and nodded. "Now Ryou, how has _he_ been?" Isis asked quietly. 

"Huh?" asked Ryou, thrown off track. He had been thinking about the book he had been reading. He'd had rediscovered it in his room as he had been packing, he had started to reading it, forgetting how enthralling it was. He couldn't wait until he could read the next one, even though he knew what happened next. 

Isis looked at him, concerned. "How has he been doing?" she asked again. 

"Oh..." Ryou wasn't sure of what to say. "Fine, I guess..." 

_He guesses?_ Isis thought to herself. _That doesn't sound right... I'll try to talk to him, to see what's bugging him. And if that fail, I'll Tauk it out of him. If the hunk of gold will cooperate._.. After Battle City, she had lost most of her ability to read the past, present and future with her Millennium Item. She had even lent it to Yugi for a while, but Yugi had returned it. He had enough worries as was with Puzzle alone and Isis could use it better any ways. She _could_ upon occasion, get it to work. "Really? " she asked Ryou, hoping it would not come to that extreme. 

"Yeah..." replied Ryou, trying to keep his voice off hand. Isis might read between the lines better than Yami. And he knew could handle the tomb robber, given enough time and no interference, he rationalized. _Right? _he asked himself. 

"Ryou..." Isis said, her tone carrying volumes. 

Ryou inwardly winced, she hadn't let it lie. This would not be good. He just shrugged. Isis, he knew would see beyond any excuse he gave, so it would be best for him to remain silent on the subject and hope she would do the same. 

No, she wouldn't. "Ryou, please?" she asked, she didn't want to pry, but she would if she felt it necessary. 

Ryou just remained quite, following a distance behind the Weasleys. 

"Ryou, I'm asking you one last time," Isis pled. 

Yugi was watching the two struggles with each other's stubbornness. Isis was seeing something he didn't. He now knew Ryou wasn't telling everything, and that missing bit was important. Yugi didn't know which would be worse, that being the grave robbers command or it was Ryou's own discretion. 

Malik was also worried. Not just about Ryou not saying all, but also how easy it could be to be over heard. Half of his attention was focused on looking for someone who was paying special attention to them. He scanned the crowd again. Nothin-- wait, there was a girl about their age running towards them. 

"Hey, Harry, Ron!" she yelled, waving. 

Harry had given a little space for those two new people, Isis and Malik, to have a small reunion with Ryou and Yugi. And this gave him a little time to think. The wands had been odd. Yugi's phoenix was spectacular, and Ryou's maze neat, but Malik's wand's response had been the most peculiar of all. The shadows had been chilling, but it must have been all right since the adults had looked around in amazement, not fear. _Right?_ he asked himself, still unsure. But before he could answer that, just as they were passing Gambol and Japes Wizarding Joke Shop (and not going in, much to the twins dismay), he heard someone yelling is name. 

"Hermoine!" he exclaimed, greeting her. "Hi!" Harry looked at Hermoine, she had changed in last few months. For starters she now had a pair of smart looking glass on. She also had gotten a little taller, and grown in some _other_ places. He watched Ron's reaction out of the corner of his eyes. 

Ron also greeted her with some warmth, and shock at her changes. "So," he said, "how was Bulgaria?" 

"It was great!" she said with evident pleasure. "Victor took me to all sorts of old historical sites! He was great at picking exactly would interest me." 

"Did he... well you know...?" asked Ron, blushing furiously. 

"What? Kiss me?" Hermoine said taking a little malicious pleasure at Ron's embarrassment. 

Ron nodded, turning even redder. 

"Well, about that... We broke up. At the end of the school year, remember when he wanted to have a word with me?" Hermoine said. After a whole summer to think about it, the pain had gone, leaving only a little bitter-sweetness. And Victor _had_ been right. 

"_What_?" asked Harry, very surprised. Victor Krum had been a prefect gentleman to Hermoine. "Why?" 

"It just that we could both see that we were close, just... not in that way." She stopped groping for the right words. "We both have some common interests, but we just aren't really interested in the other _that_ way. Do you follow me?" 

"Sort of..." said Harry confused. 

"It's like you and me, we're best friend, like brother and sister. Does that help?" Hermoine said, her expression a little pained. 

Harry nodded. 

"Okay, now that that's out of the way. You sent me a letter saying that Dumbledore was going to have two new students at your house 'til school starts. Where are they?" 

"YUGI, RYOU!" Harry called. 

"What is it?" asked Yugi running up. 

Hermoine stared. Harry never got out of he Dursley's house, therefore he could have missed it. Ron was a wizard so he hadn't noticed, because she had seen wizards dressed in nightdress and thinking they fit in perfectly. But she was a muggleborn, and she could see that their dress sense was odd. One was blonde and wearing a lot of gold, golden earrings, gold bracelets, and gold armbands. The shortest of the three had his hair up in spikes. He also had on a great amount of buckles. The last was more conservative of his dress, but he had long white hair. 

"Hello," said the blonde, with all the jewelry. "Name's Malik." He offered his hand to shake. 

"Malik?" asked Hermoine. "You didn't mention him, Harry." 

"No, I didn't," Harry said. "He's a friend of Yugi and Ryou's who also happens to be a wizard who was only just now know it." 

"Ah, what a nice coincidence for you three," Hermoine said with a smile. 

"There is no such thing as coincidence..." Isis said, emerging out of the crowd. "Only events that are part of the great play and game we call life..." 

Hermoine was instantly reminded of Professor Trelawney, the Divination Professor, when she saw Isis separate from the crowd, but as she heard what the older woman had to say, she changed her opinion. This was the type of person Trelawney could only imitate. 

"Very poetic," Ron complemented. 

Hermoine suppressed a roll of her eyes, Ron could be such a suck up to girl. 

Isis just smiled. "I am called Isis Ishtar." 

"Hermoine Granger." 

"Yugi Motuo." said the kid wit the spiked hair. 

"I am called Bakura, Ryou Bakura." 

"This is-- oh where did she get to this time?" Hermoine said, searching the crowd. 

Who?" Ron asked. 

"My cousin," Hermoine replied still scanning the people, "She got her letter. There is a second Granger at Hogwarts now." 

"Two?" Ron said in mock horror. "Two study at-all-times? Alas, we shall never be free of the baring shelves of the library!" 

"Ron," Hermoine would have rolled her eyes, but she hoped to find Jena before she accidentally wandered into Knockturn Alley, and Jena would get there with a little luck. Then much to her relief she saw Jena looking at the window's of Madame Malkins Robes for All Occasions. "JENA, GET OVER HERE!" 

A girl with sable-brown hair looked around for her cousin, then seeing her, rushed over. 

"This is my cousin, Jena." 

Jena waved at them, examining each. She saw the paperback sticking out of Ryou's pocket. "Oh, _King of the Murgos_! I love that book! Reading or rereading?" she asked enthusiastically. 

"Rereading," Ryou replied looking at her, just a little disturbed. 

"Jena," Hermoine said before Jena could forget about them. "Let me introduce you to Harry and Ron, and these three found out they were wizards just a little while ago too. Right?" Hermoine introduced them, pointing to each in turn. 

Yugi nodded in confirmation. 

"Great. is it not? Magic being real," Jena said, mostly to Ryou, bouncing up and down. 

"Yes..." Ryou said looking at her. 

"I can't wait to find out all about it!" Jena continued. 

"That may be," Ryou said, crouching down to look her straight in the eye, "but keep in mind not all is friend. Don't do something if you have a bad feeling about it. And, don't make the same mistake twice, thinking it will turn out different this time. Stand up for what you believe in, but know when to back down. I made a mistake a while back, and I'm still paying for it." 

Jena shivered. The notes and undertones in his voice spoke of truth. The haunted and sad look in his eyes brought it home. He was dead serious about it. She nodded. 

Ryou nodded back and straightened. He looked around, and raised an eyebrow at the group who was staring at him. 

"What?" asked Malik irritated. 

Ryou pointed. 

The other group was now entering Madame Malkins. 

"I just was there," grumped Jena, as she ran after the teens.   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Stella: Please review! Next chapter should come out by Thursday! Oh, nd this was yet another edited-only-by-us. -_-u   



	14. Ch 14: Class Decisions

Stella: Okay, the reason this came out early was because Wind read a particularly sad fic (this was supposed to come out on Sunday night, but we had computer problems). I needed to cheer her up, so the bulk of this chapter was written on Saturday afternoon. You got lucky. 

Shinigami-chan, rayne, Evergladelord, Cherry, and Anime no Megami: Thanks! 

Hikaru: It's okay. I am afraid _I_ might offend my readers... Think about the chapter's title, 'Cypress and Cryptic'. Also read some books about Egyptology (and don't worry about conflicting opinions, this is one thing that _almost_ written in stone). Do you mean pairing as in Ryou and Ginny? Take a look at chapter two and the reviews for chapter one. It was Yami Bakura who rightly guessed what wood and core to use. 

DarkSpellCaster: Two cores for one spirit. Not a pyramid, Yami Bakura has no clue what it was, just it was maze-like. 

Alaena Flame Dragonstar: You mean you don't want me to pair up Ryou with Ginny, right? Take a look at chapter two and the reviews for chapter one. 

Cettie-girl: The willow wasn't right, wasn't... strong enough. Black unicorns aren't supposed to exist to the wizards. 

Audrey Koch: You think it's spooky? Wow! How is it spooky? Another Yami Bakura fan? ^_~ Yami needs more time. And he should be getting some soon (two or three more chapters) 

Sarah: I know what you mean 'bout going crazy, so I'm trying to get this written as fast as I can. 

Silver Angel: Yeah, books are more my thing than anime (wonder what's the exception...) 

Behold the Void: Did a quick scan of the last chapter a little while back. I should have looked in the books for the spelling of Hermione's name, not relied on the spell checker. -_-u I'm working on this on two different computers. I think I forgot to use one bit, I guess... I love Eddings too. Along with _Magic's Price, Raven Ring, Operation Chaos_-- 

Wind: Stella-a-a! We have a story to do! 

Stella: ^_^U   


Disclaimer: See last chapter. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Chapter Fourteen: Class Decisions 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   


Professor Minerva McGonagall rode in the horseless carriage, thinking about what had happened. Those three boys were strong in magic. Strong enough for other wands, that were not their own, to responded to them. Sure, you could use other wands, but the one that bonded to you was the strongest. She had seen a marked improvement of Ron Weasley's wand work after he had gotten a new wand, that hadn't belonged to one of his older brothers. How each of the three's true wands had reacted was interesting. 

The first wand, Yugi's, had sent out an illusion --you could tell it had been one because it had no shadow, but really good illusions or ones that just disguised something had shadows-- of a phoenix. A phoenix that had burst into flame above him and the sparks of ash drifted down on him. The second, Malik's, had been the most powerful of them all. Ryou's had been a maze-like mirage. 

Malik and his sister, Isis, had met her at their door ready to leave. However, first McGonagall had to give them the potions. Isis had already learned English. Malik knew some other languages as well. McGonagall was glad she had had the foresight to take a second potion. One that translated Japanese into English, a well as the two that translated Arabic. She had the Japanese one because one might know Japanese, as they had been in Japan for a while that summer she had figured one might have learned it. And since it was Trelawney who had to make it, getting the potion was no hardship for McGonagall; in fact it had been the opposite. Malik had taken the Japanese translating one. 

With a lurch, the carriage stopped. Minerva stepped out and at brisk walk went up to the castle. She found Professor Dumbledore visiting Snape in the Infirmary. After he had bid farewell, Dumbledore led her up to his office. 

"So," he said, sitting down in his chair, after he offered her a lemon drop, "I suppose you have come to tell me about the wands." 

"Why, yes," she said, shocked at his perspective. "How did you know?" She hoped he was not in one of his moods were you had to chase down the meaning of each word. But if his straight to the point beginning was any indication, he wasn't. 

"Mr. Ollivander express owled me, giving a short account of what happened. He said that you would like be rushing back to tell me all." 

Minerva frowned, but could not dispute it. She _had_ rushed. "Well, here what happened for Mr. Motuo," she told him about the phoenix. Then she told him about Bakura's. 

Dumbledore nodded as he heard it. "I noticed that you have not said what had Mr. Ishtar's had been. I assume what Mr. Ollivander put in his letter is true?" 

"I believe so. His was --in my opinion-- the most powerful. As you probably read in the letter, he almost did a mass apparition. Almost, because something wasn't... right... He... I don't know how to put it, but I think he went-- well, you know how when you apparate, you go into the Layer? Well, I think he went deeper into the Layer. Instead of being muted, and foggy, it was sharp and shadows. I know, I'm contradicting myself, but that's the only way I can really describe it." Minerva stared at the desk between them, wishing that she could say it better. "One other odd thing is that they all seem to have met before..." 

"That will do for now." Dumbledore got up and began to pace. "Minerva, I want you to give Molly and Arthur this message." He took a scroll of his desk and handed it to her. "I would send it by owl--" 

"But we don't want it to be intercepted," she finished. "Will do. Molly needs the eighth volume, so once I get that, I'll go back." 

"Good luck," Dumbledore told her, "Madame Pince is cleaning..." 

McGonagall swore. 

*** 

Yugi fitting for the school robes had been going rather normally so far, but Malik's was --once more-- another story. 

At least it unusual, not trouble (yet). It seemed Malik had slipped some of the gold ornaments he had kept, from the days he controlled the Ghouls. When Isis had seen them she rolled her eyes, but let him have is way. 

Malik had not been at all adverse to wearing robes. (He wouldn't have made the standard wear for the Ghouls something he loathed now would he?) Yugi had accepted it with minimal objections. Ryou hadn't commented. The problems he was having was with the choice for the cloak. 

"How many times do I have to say this?" Ryou asked. "I'm not wearing _wool_." 

"The wool is spelled not itch or anything like that," the young attendant explained, again. 

"I'm not wearing it!" Ryou repeated. 

"Then what are you going to wear? Silk?" said the attendant trying to joke. 

"Sure, Isis is paying..." Ryou said 

Isis sighed and nodded. What she had said in the wand shop still held true; Yugi and Ryou only had yen and pounds, no Sickles or Galleons. 

"Me too! I want silk!" Malik called from where he stood. 

Isis sighed again, but couldn't protest. To her it was obvious why Ryou was refusing to wear sheep wool, considering whom he is/was in a past life. Once again Isis thoughts began to tread those paths. She had to rip her mind away, now was not the time. "Yugi, might as well get you a silk cloak as well." 

"But--" Yugi began, still on the fitting stand, with a robe being tailed around him. 

"I'm not waiting 'til we have left for you to remember Yami." Isis said. 

"Yami?" asked Ron from where he stood being fitted with a new pair of dress robes that he twins were paying for. "I thought his name was Yugi..." 

"Yami's a nickname," Malik said, making a quick save. 

"Oh..." 

Yugi had been checking with Yami. Yami wanted silk too, or at least cotton. As he pointed out, a silk canvas would work fairly well for a cloak, especially in Britain's water rich climate. 

The problem with the dress robes was for Malik trying to decide which ones he wanted. In the end Isis bought him alone, three cloaks, four pairs of dress robes and the required uniform cloak, hat, and robes. 

Malik, as they were leaving the shop with the parcels, realized something. 

"Isis," he said slyly, "remember how you said that I was going to be getting a new wardrobe? My definition of a wardrobe includes jewelry..." 

Isis blinked then vaguely realized how much this was going to cost. She was going to paying for all three's wardrobe. Ryou had the tomb robber; it was obvious he was helping with shopping. And she had seen in her looks into the past how much jewelry the Pharaoh had worn. "Fine," she said. She also had to admit that she was curious to see how metal work had evolved in the wizards' hands. 

"We shall come too," said Mrs. Weasley, "Since you likely don't know where the shop is..." 

"And while those two are doing that, we can go to Quality Quidditch Supplies," Ron said like it was already okayed. 

"We three," corrected Ryou, shifting his grip on the package that held his robes. 

"We _four_," Yugi added. 

Ron just stared at the foreigners, shaking his head. They were _weird_! And odd. 

"No, Ron we're going to stay with them, not go off and look at broomsticks." Mrs. Weasley said after her eyebrows had gone back to normal levels. The boys were a little different from most. But Professor Dumbledore was also eccentric. Perhaps it was a side affect of being strong in magic. 

"Do we have to?" whined Ron. "One of you can stay behind and help them, while the other comes with us." 

"No," said Mrs. Weasley. By that time they where already at the jewelers. 

Ron continued to try to argue his mother around while the two Egyptians and the two Japanese looked. Yugi saw nothing to his taste, nor did Yami. Ryou looked at the gold carefully and saw that most of it was plated, and the stuff that wasn't was not something he would wear. Malik also came to the same conclusion as Bakura. Isis was disappointed; to her half of it looked like it was something you could find at the mall on the bargain table, just enchanted. 

Ron was quite happy to leave the shop. The picture of Malfory walking by and seeing him in there motivated him to no end. Hermione had just pulled out a book on counter cruses and read it to a bored Harry. Jena also had a severe let down with the metal (she wouldn't dignify them the name of jewelry). 

They left the shop, the girl who had been behind the counter reading a romance novel, by the look of the cover, said the usual corporate 'have a nice day'. 

Their next stop was at The Leaky Cauldron for lunch. After eating, they stopped at various small shops, getting small miscellaneous things such as beetle eyes, cauldrons, gloves, parchment, quills, and telescopes. Finally there was nothing more to get but the books at Flourish and Blotts. 

Malik, Ryou, and Yugi had to decide which of the elective courses they wished to take. They had been given the book list for each so they would have a little time to think it over. There were quite a few choices, Arithmancy, Muggle Studies, study of Ancient Runes, Divination, and Care of Magical Creatures. There was a minimum of two, they could take three if they wanted, but it wasn't advised, as they had much to catch up on. The three each independently (with their yamis, of course) decide to take Divination. At least there they might have the basics. Arithmancy was complicated and seemed to need knowledge of a completely different type of mathematics. Muggle Studies: after they found out muggle was the name for a non-magical person they lost enthusiasm. Malik's opinion on Ancient Runes was that he had enough odd language tutoring with his sister. Yugi was still puzzling his way through Ancient Egyptian; Yami had forgotten some of his knowledge even on even that, his own native dialect. Ryou had also denounced the class as he had enough on his plate already on that. Care of Magical Creatures was left by default. Each had to admit it would be interesting. Just how many creatures had resembled to the ones of Duel Monsters? And to what extent? 

Once Hermione had been dragged out of the bookstore, the next stop was at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. Hermione had politely declined; she and Jena --who had remained very quite after Ryou's waning-- had to go. Ryou had a raspberry soft serve, dipped in chocolate, with whipped cream on top studded with chopped nuts and sprinkles. He was enjoying immensely. 

\\_What is it_?\\ asked the tomb robber. His hikari's emotion was leaking across their bond, making it impossible to concentrate. 

\_Just this ice cream I'm having... The wizarding jewelry may have been a dismal, but this stuff is good!_\ 

\\_Really?_\\ asked Yami Bakura. He debated with himself and decided it would be a good move. \\_May I take over and try some?_\\ 

For the second time in less than a week, his yami had asked before he had possessed him, Ryou was in a light shock. \Go ahead...\ he said. There were three other Item holders near him, all of which knew about the thief, it would be fool hardy for him to attempt something. But the having three other Millennium Item possessors was also what worried him. Ryou knew, however, that if his yami wanted to try it bad enough, he would just take over the body anyway. 

\\_Thank you._\\ 

Isis saw the switch, as did Malik and Yugi, as both tensed. But oddly, all Yami Bakura did was lick the ice cream. 

Yami Bakura's eye's had widen at his first taste. Yes, he could see why Ryou had leaked like that. 

Isis was confused as all she saw the dark spirit do was finish of his light's treat. Yami Bakura eaten the rest of it quickly and was licking his fingers as he had not completely figure out how to eat ice cream. He let Ryou back into control. Isis's head was starting to spin. 

Ryou's head wasn't all that tight either. Not only had his yami been polite, he had not been blocked out. Things seemed to be getting weirder by the second. And it wasn't only his yami... 

"I'm back," announced Professor McGonagall. 

"Oh, good. We're just about done shopping anyway," Mr. Weasley said standing up. 

"But, Dad! We haven't even set foot in QQS!" Ron protested. 

"Or Gambol and Japes!" 

Mrs. Weasley frowned. Arthur needed to be back before sunset to handle it. At the rate they were going it might be another hour before they got back. An hour was cutting just a little to close for her. 

"Back," said McGonagall panting. "I was afraid you would have left by now." She sat down to catch her breath. "Why haven't you left?" she asked suddenly, her forehead wrinkled. 

"To much to do, to little time." Molly said with a forced grin. 

"You need to get back soon..." McGonagall said softly, "We going to have to spilt up. I know, I know," she said, seeing the look on Mrs. Weasley face, "but we need to. How about I take the Ishtars and those two and you take your brood plus Harry? I would rather stick together but..." 

"That arrangement will do," Mrs. Weasley said and stood up. "Isis, Malik, you and Yugi and Ryou are going to be going with Professor McGonagall for a while." 

"Whatever," said Malik. Most of his attention was focused on a near by shop display which kept on changing colors. 

It took Mr. and Mrs. Weasley very little time to get they others to Quality Quidditch Supplies; unfortunately, it would be a much harder task to get them back out. 

After Minerva had a drink and got her second wind, she asked were they were to go next. 

"I don't know," replied Isis, "You were the one with the list."   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Stella: Please review! If the editing is worse than usual, it's because I was editing it while I was watching _The Mummy_. It need a little accuracy check, but so what? It's still good. ^_^ 

The computer still is having problems, so it may be a while before we update again. Like a week.   



	15. Ch 15: Webs

Stella: Okay, something seems to have gone wrong with chapter four. If someone who read it rather soon after it was put up, would go back and reread the end of it, and tell me if it is any different, I would be a little happier. A couple of paragraphs seem to missing, or did I upload the wrong document (I doubt that)? 

Don't expect the next chapters to be so long... 

Review Responses: 

Audrey Koch: You might like this chapter... or it might not... Yami is going to get more appearances (I hope). I'm glad you think the grammar and spelling are good, but this needs serious editing. 

Lily of the Shadow, Sarah, Cettie-girl, yeshic@*@K@*m@liklover, 

Goddess Kumori Dragon: *_sigh_* Yami Bakura has his reasons. 

Hikaru: There is a little something on pairings in chapter two on the review response, it might not answer your question, but it could help (the first one). Pairings are going to happen. It was the idea of Malfory seeing him in the jewelry shop. They're going to be stored when they get to Hogwarts. 

Jase Shadowstar: Did you know yours was the first HP/YGO crossover I ever read? (PS, I don't think I've reviewed your last chapter yet. I liked it, I'm somewhat uneasy about the Ghouls at Hogwarts, but it will hopeful work out in the end. Besides, you're probably anxious about something in here.) 

Behold the Void: I know. One of these days I'm going to have to go over everything and reedit. I'm way too interested in the plot to do that now though. 

Alaena Flame Dragonstar: Reread your story a while back... I think we have a slightly similar plot in more than one way. (This is minus the obvious things like it being Yugi, Bakura, and Malik.) Wedjet... Anyway, *_looks at the 'Bakura' bit_* oh boy. 

Kaoru: I was wondering if you where still reading this. 'SHINE', what do you mean by that? Do you think that I would break my words so easily? Also, how many crushes and infatuations have worked out for you in real life? (Wind: For Stella, zi-OW) 

Lady Insanity: Really? You like the balance? 

Tyger and Drakdracofire: That is part of an Egyptian belief. If you don't get it, don't worry. There will be an explanation. (Eventually) 

Evergladelord: Sorry, but your dwarves found Malik. -_- They also discovered my fruit juice, and some how aged it. 

Yugi-Closet-fan: I can identify with your pen name. Need to find a temp beta, til the one who does it usually is back. 

AG the master: SPOILER! (a little late for that but hey) Ryou past life/ Yami Bakura's was that of an Egyptian tomb robber. 

Disclaimer: *_soft snores_* DuuuuOnnfkkNdfjkfd'T dkdkdk nhngOgjfWkfkN jkfrwijfgjjfoooIjjgT   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Chapter Fifteen: Webs 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Isis and McGonagall talked and tried to figure out what was left for them to buy. Yugi and Ryou's list had been unknowingly taken by Mrs. Weasley. The boys were discussing Duel Monsters, but at such a fast pace it might have well been in another langue. 

"I still prefer Change of Heart over Brain Control. I mean, you get to keep the monster on your side," Ryou said, fingering the rawhide cord that held the Ring. 

"Yeah, but--" Yugi was interrupted. 

"We have figured out what is left." McGongall said, wondering how a card game could be so interesting to them. "Nothing necessary." 

"So then what else do you think we'll need?" Yugi asked. 

"Not brooms, no-- you don't need to get anything really... and if you do find something you need you can get it at Hogsmeade..." 

"Hogsmeade?" asked Ryou. Beside him, Malik was doubling over at the name. 

"The nearby town that students can occasionally visit. Your guardians have already signed the permission slips." The memory of the post office there jogged her memory. "You do have one thing left that you could get if you wanted, there is a wider selection here..." Minerva got up and led them to Magical Menagerie. 

"A pet?" asked Malik. 

Minerva nodded and went into the shop. Yugi shrugged and fallowed. Magical Menagerie was full of cages. In one cage there looked to be fairies, in another jewel-covered tortoises. Yugi looked around, trying to figure out where to start. Malik too, was awed by all the animals, as he wandered pass McGonagall, she heard him muttering about how weird this all was. She grinned at that and looked at the scratching post on the floor. She ran her fingernails over, and shook her head. Not right. She felt over half of the scratching posts in the shop before she felt the right one. By then Yugi had found what he wanted, a peregrine falcon, but one look at the price tag convinced him other wise. Malik had also found the one that he wanted, the Mackled Malaclaw, whose bite would make the victim unlucky for a week. But he also found the price excessive. Isis saw that Ryou was looking at the frogs. 

"Found something you want?" Isis asked, doubting that he dream animal companion was amphibian. 

"I'm not going to get a pet..." Ryou said, leaning over the tank, to look at the frogspawn from a different angle. His hair was shadowing his face, making the sad expression a tenfold more sorrowful to Isis. "I wouldn't trust him around animals..." _Oh, I hope this doesn't blow it..._ he thought. 

Isis looked at the other boy; hearing in is voice that there was something more in it. "Oh..." she said. Maybe she was just not reading things right. Maybe. She went over to Malik, before he saw her he had looked very interested in some grey lobster-like creatures, but as soon as he saw her, he inched away from them. _Probably poisonous knowing him,_ Isis thought fondly. 

"Hey, Isis," he said. To his older sister when he said something like that it was a sure sign that he didn't want her to look at the cage's inhabitants. She decided to humor him and not take a closer look. 

"Found something you like?" she asked. 

"No, not really..." he said, glancing at the cage with longing. Both knew that he wanted whatever it was that was in there, but both knew that he wasn't getting it. If it had been something innocent, Malik would have asked. He went to the front of the shop to stand with Ryou. "Hello," Malik said to catch the white-haired boy attention, "something the matter?" 

Ryou looked at him. He was leaning against the counter with seeming ease; the muscles in his face were lax, blank. However, his eyes told a different story. "No," he said shortly. 

"Nothing?" Malik persisted. 

"No... nothing..." Ryou said, and twitched his corners of his mouth up, in a semblance of a smile. 

"Hmmhm..." Malik sighed. He wasn't going to get anything out of him in this mood. "So..." he said, casting about for a topic. He couldn't think of one though. The two boys stood uncomfortable with how the talk had ended. 

Yugi joined them after a bit, looking let down. 

"Found something?" Malik asked. 

"Nope." 

Malik shrugged. "Isis," he called, "I'm going to be right outside the shop. The smells aren't something I'm used to." He came out into the sunlight, one on his temples. His yami was being its usual destructive suggesting self. It was trying to take over; Malik knew he could subdue it, it would take a while and he need no distractions. He sat down on the bench right beside the door. 

"Him?" asked Ryou from the doorway, starling him. 

Malik nodded, felling his yami onslaught die down a little. "Yeah. It's the usual. He hasn't been able to think up anything really big for a while now. Recently, he has gotten even more lame..." 

"But he is still a force to reckoned with," Ryou added, sitting down beside him. 

"Yamis?" asked Yugi, who had fallowed the other two. "Is that what we're talking about?" 

"Bakura and I we're talking about, yes. And you're welcome to join in." Malik said, and winced at his yami's reaction to Yugi. 

Yugi smiled, half apologizing for it even though it wasn't really his fault. "That bad, huh?" he asked, once Malik stopped biting his lip. 

"Yes," Malik said, nodding, his eyes hard. 

Yugi sighed in disappointment. He had half hoped that Yami Malik had calmed down like Yami Bakura had, but that didn't seem the case. 

"It will all work out in the end," reassured Bakura, hearing Yugi. "It should..." He also sighed. Isis believed that history was to repeat itself. Somethings were different, he supposed from last time, but he was afraid. Some things may be different, but some thing were the same... He knew that in the past so had died... and someone closish to him would die he was almost certain of that. Either the Pharaoh or his high priest would have died almost certainly. And that could mean that either Yugi/Yami or Seto might, or, a thought occurred to him. _Malik might, because of the Rod. And what of_ him? _Did he die? Would that mean_ I _die?_ That disturbed him. He and his yami were different people. Each had lead different lives. _And even if I'm him reincarnated, we've had varied experience. We aren't the same._ Still he remembered what Isis had said once: 'History will repeat itself in a never ending cycle.' _Never ending..._

While Ryou had been immersed in his thoughts, Yugi and Malik had taken the chance to compare notes about the wizarding world. 

Isis interrupted them. "I got you three a pet!" she said. She held up cloth-covered shape that resembled a birdcage. "Ta da!" she announced pulling of the cover. 

Inside that cage a peregrine falcon perched. It preened it feathers and looked at them. 

"Cool!" exclaimed Yugi. 

"Whoa!" Malik said. 

Ryou said nothing, as he was thing about whether he would be killed off for something the Ring's spirit had done in the past. 

"Ryou?" asked Isis, rowing even more concerned for him. He was too quite and withdrawn. "Looked at the birdie?" 

"What? Oh... nice..." Ryou sighed. _It is probable for Yugi and Yami. Isis rather favors those two-- _Oh Re_... that sounds like something he would say... Is it possible that it might be my own actions that are my downfall? Will I end up like him, with such an ego? Will I beginning to call people 'mortals'?_ He closed his eyes, and grasped the Ring's cord for reassurance. _What am I doing, looking\feeling to that? I am I even now changing? Is it just only now that I notice? Could it be that what I was thinking about last night about lying to Yami, was not over reacting? Oh Re... oh Ma'at, lady of justice..._

Ryou had totally spaced. Isis waved her hand over his eyes once or twice before she realized that his eyes were closed. 

"But, Mum! We were only at Quality Quidditch Supplies for less than half an hour!" Ron protested, following his mother to right outside the pet shop. 

"And we couldn't have been in Gambol and Japes Wizarding Joke Shop for ten minutes!" one of the twins pleaded. 

"That's because Mum caught you trying to sell them some of your joke products!" Ginny shot at them. "We've haven't gone to Enchanting Ellens! I have been saving up half the summer to get that make-up pack!" 

"Yes, Ginny, I know you have been, but we need to get back soon..." Mr. Weasley said. 

"Listen to your father, children," Mrs. Weasley said, her voice carrying a hint of threat. "About ready to go?" she asked Yugi. 

"They should be," McGonagall said coming out of the shop with a new scratching post under her arm. "They have everything..." 

"Well, good... guess we had better go than." 

"Wait, Molly. Here is the book you wanted," McGonagall passed a tome to her. 

"Thank you." Mrs. Weasley, relieved, sighed. 

"Umm... Ryou?" asked Ginny as she noticed he hadn't moved for the last minute or so except for inhaling and exhaling. 

He didn't responded. 

"Ryou?" she asked again. 

Nothing. 

Malik was concerned. Ryou having a prolonged conversation with his yami from the looks of it. Not recommended for trying to keep your cover. Then he had a thought. In Ancient Egyptian he said: "Here comes Shaadi... He looks like he's one the warpath..." Malik frowned as his plan failed. 

"He probably couldn't understated you; your accent is still atrocious," Isis told him absently, looking at Ryou with worry. 

Malik shrugged, most of his attention focused on trying to figure out a way to get out of this before it got awkward-- correction, too awkward. He couldn't startle either of them by pulling on the cord that held the Ring without raising suspicions. He then remembered Yugi telling him at some point in the conversation about Duel Monsters that Ryou had crashed into a book or something like that and bruised his left shoulder, and not to touch him there. It wasn't his favorite option, but it seemed the only good one. He squeezed the shoulder on Ryou's left. 

Ryou was jolted out of his thoughts by his pain. He hissed, and glared at Malik, who was glaring right back at him. 

"Now that you've finished your trip to la-la land, can you come back to the real world?" Malik asked rather sarcastically. 

"Uhh..." Ryou said. He hadn't known that he had been that enfolded in his thought process. 

Malik continued to glare at him. Yugi seemed to frown for a second, and then moved to beside Malik, to back him up. 

Ryou sighed as he saw he was out voted. Out voted on what he wasn't quite sure. 

"Like Kenemu?" Isis asked, holding up a cage with a beautiful peregrine falcon inside. 

"Yeah, nice..." he said for appearance sake. He had already seen the falcon; it had been one of the things that had started him on that path of thought. 'Kenemu' how fitting the name was. Ancient Egyptian for 'take to flight'. 

Isis frowned, the way he said it... Something was _so_ not right there. "You three are to share him." 

" 'You three?' " Ryou asked, confused. "What do you mean by that?" 

"You're going to be sharing Kenemu," Isis explained. 

"Ooohhh..." Ryou breathed an almost invisible sigh out, and tilted his head back. "For all of us you say." He may have phrased it like a question, but he said it more like a reassurance to himself. 

\_Hear that?_\ he asked his yami. 

\\_Hear what?_\\ replied Yami Bakura. He was still trying to figure out what he had seen/felt/remembered the day before meant. 

\_Never mind,_\ Ryou sighed; his yami was also thinking about something hard. That would explain why he hadn't given Ryou an advise on how to handle this thoughts on fate. Not that his advice would he particularly helpful as it usual consisted of if you didn't like something, fix it. Yes, that was normally a solution, but not when you used Yami Bakura's definition. Ryou didn't want to go shopping for clothes for a funeral. 

"Uh... Ryou," Malik said, resisting the urge to try to balance a book on Ryou's head, "you going to stop spacing out?" 

Ryou glared at him but could say nothing to dispute it. 

"Do you often do that?" asked Fred, over come with curiosity. 

Ryou was coming to hate the position he was in, but how could he deny it? He had done it twice. "Yeah... Thinking about life after death and stuff." he added, trying to save a little face. And it wasn't totally a lie either. 

"Umm... okay..." uneasily George answered for his twin who looked disturbed. 

"Uh... is it a medical condition, your spacing?" Mrs. Weasley asked delicately. 

"Sorta... but not quite..." So much for saving face. 

"No medication you need to take or anything?" Mrs. Weasley persisted. 

"No, nothing that extravagant," answered Yugi, hoping that he could help his friend. "He has a tendency to think to much of things. But it isn't all that bad, he rarely ever loses his temper," Yami Bakura was used to acting like Bakura, Yugi figured, so he wouldn't have that much trouble not bursting out. And if someone did irritate the Rings spirit overly so, well let's say Yugi wouldn't doubt if the next day that certain someone's prized possession ended up missing. "He only does it when he has free time." 

Ryou really wished he hadn't tried to salvage his reputation now; this incident was doing the exact opposite of what he wanted. "I turn the problem or whatever over in my mind, and don't notice much else..." Hell, that was even correct. "You just need to call my name usual, and that'll snap me out of it. If that doesn't work, time will." _Seshat, this is not going well._

"Well, it has happened twice now," McGonagall said, worried. Albus had told her that Malik had gotten in the wrong crowd, but so far Ryou had been the one to cause the most trouble, not that this was really trouble, but it could be. Malik had been very well behaved, and when 'Ryou' had gotten his wand, he had been down right rude. But even if Malik had been in the wrong crowd before --if her plan worked-- he wouldn't be at Hogwarts. It was ill advised to let some one with so much magic to fall into the wrong crowd with the current situation of the wizarding world. "And Mr. Ishtal has been the only one to being you out of them, maybe he should spend the rest of the summer with the Weasley and you, that is of course if your sister and Molly and Arthur don't mind." 

"Of course not!" Mr. Weasley said jollily. "The more the merrier!" Minerva obviously thought that having a third guest was a good idea for some reason, so he would have to accommodate it. 

"Malik will go then," Isis declared. "Besides, Yugi is a good influence on you." 

"But what about packing?" Malik asked. 

"Bah," Isis dismissed, waving a hand back, "your idea of packing is taking all of your worldly possessions. How hard can it be?" She shrugged. "I'll buy two more trunks. You can go back with them today, I can get everything packed in an hour or two." 

"But--" Malik started to say. 

"Rashid? I say good-bye to him for you." Isis said, smiling. "Now off you go with the Weasleys. Play nicely with Yami and Bakura." She figured she could use 'Yami' since Malik had said it was a nickname. "I'm assuming you'll need to get back soon," she said to the Weasleys, and then she turned to Minerva. "Professor McGonagall, if you could help me get back to Cairo and get Malik's baggage back here, I would be much obliged." 

"Of course I'll help," Minerva said, relived her hasty plan had gone down well. And going back to the Weasleys to drop off Malik's luggage would also give her chance to talk with Arthur, who by now was likely bursting with questions. "I'll try to see you before eight, Molly." 

Mrs. Weasley nodded, and looked at the sky. Arthur would need to be back _soon_. 

"Isis, will you come stand by me and close your eyes?" requested McGonagall, preparing to apparate back to the Ishtal residence. 

Isis moved over to beside McGonagall, but before Minerva apparated out with the young Egyptian's sister, Isis said: "Malik, you are to write me every three days. And do not try to lie. I shall **know** if you do." The odd choker she wore, glimmered in the dusk, in a seeming trick of the light, it glowed with a luminescence all its own. Then she disappeared. 

"Well we should take a hint from them. We also need to leave," Arthur Weasley said, looking at the gathering shadows. 

"Yes, we need to go," Mrs. Weasley said supporting him. "It will be a little difficult with the falcon, but we'll mange." 

*** 

Upon arriving at the Burrow, Mr. Weasley had rushed off, leaving the others to eat supper. Most of the conversation was dominated by Fred and George complaining of how little time there had been for actually shopping but Percy managed to slip in a couple of comments here and there about how they were over reacting. Yugi had went to bed shortly afterwards as it was about three in the morning in Japan, but Ryou stayed up as he had been up for quite a while the night before and had slept in that day making it easier for him to adjust. Malik had only two hours difference to deal with. McGonagall turned up around eight thirty with three trunks filled with Malik's stuff. She had taken Mrs. Weasley aside for a few minutes and spoke to her in hushed ones and gave her two scrolls. After the initial excitement of that and the fallowing putting it away, Ryou went looking for the course books. Since the textbooks for the years that they had skipped had also been purchased, Ryou and Malik --who Ryou all but forced-- spent the rest of the time till bed studying. Ron, as usual, put up a token fight at having to go to bed at ten. Harry as he had good manners and was a guest said nothing, as did Malik and Ryou. 

However, to bed did not mean to sleep as Ron proved by reading some of his old _Miggens, the Mad Muggle_ comic books aloud to two listeners who didn't understand any of it and to one listener who was trying to sleep. 

"Ron," Harry finally said, "can you please shut up? I'm sorry but I need some sleep!" 

Ron muttered, and put the issue he had been reading back on the stack. He went over to his bed and after a time went to sleep. 

Malik lay on his cot, in the darkness, trying to get some sleep, but failing. He turned over and saw that he was not the only one who was having trouble. Ryou was lying on his stomach reading by the soft tinted light of one of the chain flashlights. But it also seemed he was very distracted too since his gaze kept flickering towards the moon. 

"Almost full," commented Malik, as Ryou, after trying in vain to finish the page, looked out the windows again. 

"Wha-- Oh. You're awake." Ryou softly said. 

"We can talk freely too. With his snores," Malik said, pointing with his thumb at Ron, "who could hear us?" 

Ryou nodded and the little flashlight went off. Malik took that as a sign to go ahead. 

"Thinking about anything in particular?" he asked, quietly sliding his legs of the bed to sit up. 

"How-- oh. That obvious huh?" 

"Look, you zoned out twice. How more obvious can you get?" Malik said, rolling his eyes. 

"Mhh... It was just things." 

"Things? Tell me another one." 

Ryou sighed audibly in the darkness. He was going to have to tell Malik something to satisfy him. "It's just," he began and stopped on purpose, hoping that he could pull it off. 

"It's just?" Malik prompted, not knowing he was falling for it. 

"Well, it's just, well..." Bakura fell silent again. 

"Well?" asked Malik, feeling he was on to something. 

"You see this is-- how shall I put this?" 

"Put what?" the Egyptian inquired. Bakura was stopping in the most infuriating places. 

"Can you keep it secret?" asked Ryou. 

"If it isn't truly harmful or important," Malik whispered after a moment of stiff silence. He didn't like the conditions, but it seemed to be the only way to get Ryou to talk. 

"You promise than this will go no further?" Ryou said nervous. 

"If it is not truly important or harmful than no." 

Ryou breathed and unfeigned sigh of relief. "It's just that I..." he stopped. Even though he had quickly planned this a minute ago, it was still going to be a little hard. "I lied to Yami yesterday." 

Malik nearly laughed. Trust Ryou to be worried about that; Yami Bakura on several occasions had nearly seriously injured Yugi and his friends and here his light was worried about a little lie. Then he sobered, Ryou wouldn't have gotten nearly as worked up as this over a simple lie if it wasn't important. "About what?" Malik said carefully. 

"It just you see, I..." Ryou stopped again, afraid to weave himself in any deeper. But this was preferable to telling him his fears of becoming like the spirit of his Ring. At best, Malik would laugh the away and unwittingly make Ryou feel like a child. The likeliest would be for Malik to look at him oddly and think him going mad (which Ryou wouldn't dispute). At worst... Malik would confirm his fears. So Ryou pushed onwards summoning up his tattered bravery. "I lied because if I told the truth... I think Yami would have done something... rash..." 

"Could you please stop pussyfooting around it and spit it out?" Malik said irritated. 

"Let me finish. The Pharaoh," Ryou stopped as he realized he had called Yami the Ring's spirit's usual name for him. _No_, he thought to himself,_ now is not the time to start on that again. Not when you're trying to unload some of the suspicion._ "The Pharaoh," he continued, "was shuffling his deck and I thought--" 

"You thought he was going to do something rash," Malik finished for him. "You've already told me that," Malik also stopped, and then continued in a gentler tone. "Could you please tell me what is the big deal?" 

Ryou bit his lip. Well, even if Malik did tell Yami, it was preferable to have a big arguments than to have he rift that would surely appear if they found out his secret fear. "I lied to him about," once more Ryou faltered. 

Malik was almost ready to choke something. "About?" he managed to say without any hint of anger, 

"About... how I had," Ryou closed his eyes and gathered, for what he hoped to be the last time, his courage, "how I had bruised my shoulder," he said in a rush. "I told him that I bruised it when I ran into a bookcase and a bookend fell on me." Now that he had gotten past the initial sentence, it became a little easier. "But really he threw it and had expected me to duck. I wasn't really paying attention, so it hit me. But if I had been looking I would have dodged it easily." 

Malik had now trouble figuring out who 'he' was. No wonder Bakura had made him promise! And now Malik was faced with a small dilemma, should he tell Isis, Yami and Yugi or not? On one hand he had promised, but on the other this was sort of harmful. 

A second white haired figure appeared. Yami Bakura looked at his hikari in shock. Ryou... had lied... for _him_. And what he had lied about too! 

Ryou face in the moonlight was pale and ashen. He had trouble enough with Malik, and the thought of Yami was almost terrifying. But he hadn't even considered his yami. He looked at the scene with unfocused eyes, wishing for all the world he was anywhere but there. 

Yami Bakura was trying to suppress the same feeling, but he had to some how salvage this. Well a faint comfort was he had been afraid Ryou would try and ditch him at the first chance. "Thank you, Ryou... I wasn't really paying attention then, and if the Pharaoh had challenged me to a duel..." Yami Bakura stopped unsure on ho to continue. "I'm sorry that I threw it, young one..." he said softly and disappeared back into the Ring. There he smiled a little. Ryou was beginning to trust him some. He was going to have to keep all stunts to a minimum and try to repeat what he had done earlier that day with the ice cream. That had worked perfectly. 

Malik stared at the spot Yami Bakura had disappeared from. Some days he thought that Yami Bakura was a worse than his yami. That night was one of them. First, Ryou gets hurt by his yami, then he lied to Yami about it. And after the truth comes out, his yami, the one who had started the whole chain reaction, apologies. 

"Now what's been keeping you up?" Ryou asked unexpectedly. 

"Huh?" said Malik caught off guard. 

"I told you, now you tell me," Ryou said, hoping to have Malik's mind off of him. 

"Umm... it not really anything," Malik said lying back down. 

Now a little more confident, Ryou pressed him. "Uhhun," he said, his tone telling Malik that the Ryou didn't believe him at all. 

Malik sighed and sat back up. "It that seeing everything at that Dragoon Alley, it's like a sort of second childhood. And with that comes a... a..." Malik paused trying to think of the word he needed. he then gave up in favor of rephrasing it. "I feel like a child again, just having found out there is more to life than guarding tombs. But have a silly feeling that it's all going to come crashing down again." He forced a smile then realized Bakura couldn't even see it. 

"No, it is not," Bakura said, sounding reassuring to Malik. But what Malik didn't realize was that Bakura was _not_ referring to that it wasn't going to happen, but that the feeling was not 'silly'...   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Stella: Not betaed -_-u. 

When I was writing this, I went to bed right after Yami Bakura came out of the Ring. Mistake. I spent half the night trying to get visions of those scenes out of my head. I even considered banging my head against the wall. I was tempted to go right back to writing, doing an all nighter. You know, I probably would have felt more rested that way... even my dreams were that (real brazier, the dreams). The next day, thank Ra for caffeine. Oh yeah one more thing, for those of you who don't know, Re is another name for Ra. If any odd words crop up, they might be Egyptian Gods. Sekhat is the lady scribe (most of the time). 

This was supposed to be posted two days ago, but I didn't buckle down and do the editing then. On another note, the next chapter is over half way done. But there is a chance it could end up as long as this. Thoth, I hope not.   



	16. Ch 16: Storm of Despair

Stella: Hey ya! Yes another chappie. Lucky aren't you? ^_~ Not as long as last. 

Review Responses: 

Stella: *_sigh_* Only three... 

Silver Angel: Poor Ryou shall suffer some more... 

rayne: Glad you do. 

kaoru: Thank you. Know what you mean about no time. -_- English isn't your native tongue? Thanks for the translation on shine. My slang is for the most part picked up from books and manga. Find no crushes sort hard to believe, but each to their own. Yeah, there were couple of clauses in there, but the answer is _basically_ the same. Jena is more creeped out by the way Ryou warned her than anything else. 

Disclaimer: See the last one.   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Chapter Sixteen: Storm of Despair 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

The next day was Sunday, and for Harry marked seven days until it was time to go back to Hogwarts. Harry had awoken to find Yugi had long since gone down to breakfast. Ron' cursing at the smudge on his nose had woken up Harry. Harry had rubbed his eyes burley, and turned over in his bed, trying to go to sleep again. However, Fred and George seemed to have thought it funny to dye Yugi's hair some how, and had ended up getting an earful from Mrs. Weasley. Harry attempted to block the shouts with his pillow, but it didn't work. He sat up, sighing, and blinking the world into focus with the help of his glasses. 

Ryou was half on his bed, half off, reading. Malik was sitting on his cot, looking at a magazine. 

"Up?" asked Malik, glancing up from his magazine. 

"Yeah. What did those two do?" Harry asked, grabbing for a comb to straighten his hair. 

"I dunno... I think it has something to do with Yugi, but I could be wrong." Privately Malik did think he was wrong. If the twins had tried to do something to Yugi using magic, Yugi would have known; and if it had been stealthy, then they should be in the shadow realm. 

"Oh..." Harry said. He went off to the bathroom, brushed his teeth and changed. When he had come back, Ryou was brushing his hair. He was telling Malik what shampoo he used. 

"Really?" Malik asked rhetorically. "I--" As Malik was talking, Ryou had reached up to put his hairbrush on the shelf above the mirror revealing the wrappings the cut of he had gotten two days ago. In an instant Malik was on his feet beside Ryou. He seized the arm and pulled back the sleeve to show it fully. His narrowed lavender eyes connected with Ryou's. "I thought that bruise on your shoulder was all..." he said in a voice that made Harry's blood run cold. 

"Even after last night when I told you about that and he apologized, you still jump to conclusions?" Ryou's voice was hate filled and angry. "I thought you were a friend!" Ryou broke Malik's grip on his arm with a hard tug away. "He might even be a better friend than you!" He strode out of the room. 

Harry had watched them, wondering what on earth was happening. He didn't ask as he had a hunch he wasn't supposed to know. In the silence that fallowed, Harry heard Mrs. Weasley say: "Hello, Ryou!" 

A slam of the door answered her. 

Out the window Harry could see Ryou had break into a run towards the woods. 

"I must talk Yugi..." Malik said from beside him. 

*** 

Ryou ran flat out for a while into the wood, mind in a whirl. Finally when the ground became too uneven, he dropped. Lying on his back, he stared at the grey sky through the boughs above. 

\\_Is anything amiss?_\\ asked his yami. 

\_Didn't you see?_\ asked Ryou. 

\\_No, I wasn't paying attention. You know I don't when you read._\\ 

\_Why haven't you pried it from my mind?\_ Ryou asked, looking hateful at a nearby chirping bird. 

\\_Because..._\\ His yami's mental voice sound a little nervous... \\_Is it about last night?\_\ 

\_Yes, no.... does it matter? Just go away!_\ 

Yami Bakura blinked mentaly at the bitterness and the harshness in Ryou's voice. Whatever it was had been had really gotten him. 

Ryou felt his yami's awareness leave him. He had been right, his yami knew when to let him alone. Curling up into a ball of misery, he didn't even notice when the tears he had been holding back came down. 

*** 

"Hey, Malik," Yugi said scowling. Evidently, the twins _had_ died Yugi's hair some how. But it being a solid neon blue didn't seem nearly as odd as when it was tri-colored. Well, to Malik the one color was odd, but not to the others. "I saw Bakura going out side, something wrong?" 

"Yes, very..." Malik frowned. "Do you know he has a cut on his right arm?" 

Yugi nodded. "Yeah, he got into a small fight with a thorn bush. I saw it, it didn't happen _that_ way." 

To the others at the table that sentence contradicted itself, but to Malik it made perfect sense. It also made off with a little evidence. But what Ryou had said the night before... He switched to Ancient Egyptian. "But did he also tell you how he hurt his shoulder?" 

Yugi grinned, after Yami had finished translating most of it for him. It was nice to have Malik on their side, with his protectiveness, even if it was misguided. "Yeah, he bumped into a bookshelf and a bookend fell upon him. He was trying to put out some burning popcorn," he said in English. 

"Not the way _Ryou_ told me last night..." he continued to speak in Ancient Egyptian. "He told me that his yami threw it at him." 

Yugi had already leaned all of the words Malik had used, not needing a translation, he exclaimed in English: _"What?_" Then remembering they were in company, "But that would mean..." he said slowly, having to have Yami tell the Egyptian equivalents. 

"He lied to you and Yami," Malik concluded gravely, but impatiently. 

"But... he..." Yugi said in English, shaking his head. Yami was silent except to tell him the translation of what Yugi wanted to say, but Yugi could feel the rage. "How did you get him to tell you?" 

Malik told him slowly, having to backtrack a couple of times, as their Egyptian dialect was a little different. 

"So... why only now do you tell me?" Yugi asked, "Why not earlier?" 

"I might have kept it to myself after you told me how Ryou got the cut... if it wasn't for what Bakura said when I confronted him about the scratch. He said," violet eyes met lavender, "he said the spirit might be a better friend than me..." 

Yugi closed his eyes, deeply disturbed. "He said that?" Yugi shook his head. "You're right, something is off here." 

The Weasleys and Harry (who had fallowed Malik down) heard Yugi and Malik conversation. The last word they had heard in English had been 'he', after that it Greek to them. They were too polite to break into the conversation, and it would be too rude to ask of them to speck in English. After Yugi had leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and hadn't said anything for a time, Mr. Weasley spoke. 

"Malik," he said, putting down his fork and folding his hands on the table, "I have something that you may want to talk about privately." 

"What? Umm... Go ahead here." Malik said, nervous. 

"If you wish... Professor McGonagall told me something yesterday. She said that recently you fell into the wrong crowd... Umm, anyways, I--" 

"You were wondering what the likelihood is of me finding the wrong crowd again. And I'll bet Isis put her up to saying it..." Malik said the last sentence more to himself than to any one else. "The answer is slim... I hope... As long as the right combination of things doesn't come along, it won't happen." 

Mr. Weasley nodded awkwardly. "Thank you for frankness, Malik." 

Malik shrugged. "Your welcome." He sighed, wishing Ryou was all right. After that comment... Malik wasn't putting Ryou in the absolutely sane category. But then Malik wouldn't put himself in that category either. He looked out the window and noted absently it was beginning to rain. An absolutely horrible climate England had with all this rain year round. 

*** 

Droplets of water fell on Ryou. Tears and rained mingled, the salt and acid making no difference to how easily it soaked through his clothes. Ryou was miserable enough not to notice. 

Those impulsive words he had said to Malik; the moment he had said them, he had regretted them. However, now under the dripping trees and pouring sky, they felt true. But they also had coat of oil on them too. His yami had saved him, but each time it had the reason that had been said was that he need his hikuri's body. 

The times Yami Bakura had actually laid a hand on Ryou in the real world were only a handful. And when he had cut his arm to make that pact with Malik, he had been in control really, not Ryou. When they were both in the soul rooms, Ryou couldn't ignore the times he had been hit there. But it only hurt in the soul rooms, and once back in the real world, he was fine. The dreams however, he could not turn a blind eye to... 

Ryou sobbed quietly. He was feeling utterly alone and friendless. Above him as though sensing his despair, thunder cracked. Ryou wiped his eyes futilely. He really should be getting back; sitting in the rain mat not be sensible, but it wasn't dangerous either. But lighting could strike one of the trees. 

His windy walk back to the Burrow, gave him a chance to wash away all signs of the tears. It also gave him a little strength, and time to think. Obviously, as bad as this was, it could have been worse. If Malik thought Bakura not telling Yami everything shocked him, think about how disturbed he would the whole truth. Ryou himself was weirded out enough as was, and he was well, the one whom he was disturbed by. 

*** 

The rest of the breakfast was eaten in silence, only broken over the whistling of the wind, the patter of the rain, and the occasional soft boom of thunder. The storm was a gentle, but gloomy one. As Mrs. Weasley was about to clear the table the backdoor in the next room opened and Bakura came in. 

He was soaked through. His hair was a sodden tangle and small steams of water ran down him dripping on to the welcome mat. He wore a sight but unmistakable sad frown. Not quite a frown but more of the opposite of a smile. He looked for the entire world as though he was the storm incarnated. He stood there, unsure of what he should do. 

"Ryou," Malik said, standing up. 

Ryou visibly gulped, when Malik called him by his first name, it meant trouble. Ryou would bet all his money on what it was too. 

Yugi also stood up. 

But before either could speak, Ryou said something in that odd language that Yugi and Malik had been talking in before. He ran up the stairs. 

\_Yami, what did he say?_\ Yugi asked, \_It was too fast for me._\ 

\\_What he said was: 'Malik, how could you? After you promised! I was right! He can keep secrets better than you at least!_'\\ Yami replied, slowly and sadly. 

\_This is not going well..._\ 

\_\I don't like this. Bakura is not one to behave like this normally._\\ 

Yugi nodded. "Umm..." he saw the Weasleys were looking at them for, explanations probably. "Bakura --we just today found out-- is going through a rough time. Uhh, we need to go and try to talk to him..." 

Malik and Yugi climbed the stairs slowly, each fearing what would transpired up there.   


Ryou stormed into Ron's room. He felt as though his life was falling apart as he watched on. Nothing was working, nothing. Sooner or later it would come out, and now Ryou was even more certain that he would become like his yami. He bit his lip, wondering what to do next. _Dry off, you idiot!_ his good sense supplied. _You'll catch pneumonia otherwise._ Ryou went to the bathroom and toweled off the worst off it. He then changed his clothes and the bandages. Feeling a _little_ better, with a towel wrapped around his still wet hair, he pulled an old hardback favorite out of his black backpack and began to read, hoping the familiar action would recall him to his normal state.   


"Bakura," Malik said throwing open the door. "We need to talk." 

Ryou had been reading, looking up slowly from his book, he glared at Malik, half defiantly, half dejected. 

"Yes, we do," Yami added his support. Yugi had not at all looked forward to the confrontation. Yami had felt this, and offered to take over. Needless to write, his offer was greeted with gratitude. "Malik told us about what you told him last night." Yami watched the young man's face pale. He guessed that Bakura had hoped that he did not know. "It will all be fine, but you need to tell us what all has happened. And why didn't you tell about the bruise earlier?" Yami did his best to keep his tone level and comforting. 

Ryou looked at them, not quite certain what to say. This could be worse he knew intellectually, but he felt as though it could not be. Sure, last night he thought his yami was going to be worse than Yami, but he was now rapidly reversing his opinion. "Because, Because this is exactly what I thought would happen." He looked at his book, and shut it with a _snap_. He licked his lips before speaking again. "Does it really matter?" he asked almost like a normal teenager who had just been asked to clean his room. 

"Yes," Yami said sitting on the bed across from him, "it does. There must be a reason why you have not told us. Are you ill?" 

Ryou lips twitched involuntarily at that. Yami could be as innocent as his light sometimes, the way he acted. "No, I think I can handle him that's why." He took the book he had been reading and went back down stairs, past the kitchen table, where most of the Weasleys stared at him as he strode out it, and into the living room. Sitting down, he opened the book up to page twenty-two where he had stopped, and read. 

Ryou hadn't gotten out that easy however. Not that he had really thought he would. Malik watched Bakura sweep past him. After he had exited the room he spoke. 

"Now we _must_ try and force the issue. Bakura is not acting right. 

"Unless..." Yami said slowly, "Unless it is not really Bakura, but the tomb robber." 

"I suppose it could be," Malik said dubiously, "but what would he gain from this? I can't think of any thing he would go to this much length for. He knows he has no chance of getting the god cards nor the Millennium Items." 

"Yes, what would make him do this?" Yami pondered this. "I can not think of it. But I did think of something else." 

"What?" Malik asked. 

"It could be the most obvious answer of all. Ryou actually thinks he can deal with the thief." 

"But, then..." 

"What Ryou is thinking he can attempt is next to an insanity," Yami concluded. "But he thinks he can. And he may just be stubborn enough not to listen to us. Until it is too late." 

"Too late from what?" Malik asked. 

"Too late for something. I don't know what, but--" 

"But it could be more than his favorite book that gets hurt by the Ring's spirit, next time he becomes too angry to control." Malik said, shivering. 

The former Pharaoh nodded. "Precisely."   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Stella: Next one is going to be up when? No clue. We tried editing this one a different way. 

Wind: Evergladelord, _please_ don't send dwarves next time. The wine they and Malik made is horror to get out of the carpet. 

Stella: Not to mention they found your the laundry and dumped some of it on that. 

Wind: They shall _pay_.   



	17. Ch 17: Roleplaying

Stella: Hey. Meant to have this up yesterday, but the computer problems rematerialized. So in other words, no italics. Also this is a different spell check. -_-U  
  
Wind: Yep, sorry bout that. Italics are a word in stars. Example: *word*  
  
Review Responses:  
  
kaoru: Well that would explain why or English is a little inconsistent. Don't worry, this is Stella's native language and she has trouble with it even. And that is for us to know and you to find out.  
  
Tyger and Darkdracofire: Too late! ^_^  
  
YAMI CHIP: They aren't switching personalties. Ryou... well, okay, I can see what you mean. But Yami Bakura is just being his usual lovely, plotting self.  
  
Alaena Flame Dragonstar: *grins* Yeah, he is. That because we all like him. A little alike. But not much.  
  
DragonMaiden: Wladerwort comes in later. I happen to like Yami Bakura. We also have to get things in to certain places. -_-  
  
yeshiv@*@k@*m@liklover: Yeah, a little... Longish. Frustrated, sorta. I think you meant sweet, but yes I am sweating after all that typing (Stella: Even though I did it? -_-).  
  
Arian Starswing: Yeah, I know. But things need to get to a certain point. -_-u  
  
Hikaru: Why do think Ryou's been thinking he is going insane? Pairings are going to happen. Sorry, I guess. But who knows, maybe you'll like it? Then again... Stella's going to be writing the romance. I feel *very* sorry for you...  
  
Sarah, Dark Millenia, Comechatcha: I thank you for reviewing!  
  
Behold the Void: Tried to do that a little with chapter 16.  
  
Cherry: There is a little more Yami now. But I still need to get him in more.  
  
DragonMaiden: Yeah, but that was *Ryou* talking. ^_^  
  
Jase Shadowstar: Yep! He is...  
  
Disclaimer: Idon'townYu-gi-ohorHarryPotter!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter Seventeen: Roleplaying  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Ryou sat in the Burrow's living room, trying to concentrate on the book. And failing miserable. As much as he loved that book, real life was more important. Yami and Malik... when pitted against the other, the world need to be saved. But Malik helping Yami meant trouble; and this time it was him who may need saving.  
  
"Hey, Ryou,"  
  
Ryou looked away from his book to see it was the only female Weasley child, --Ginny was the name that came to mind. "Hey," he said shortly.  
  
"So whatcha doin'?" she asked, resting lightly on the armrest of the chair.  
  
"Nothing really, just reading... sorta," Ryou said, forcing a smile.  
  
"Oh..." Ginny said, looking at him. She sighed.  
  
Ryou wondered briefly what that sigh was about, but shrugged it off. He would be in--  
  
"Bakura."  
  
--big trouble soon. *Damn,* he thought.  
  
"What? We went over this." Ryou said, doing his to appear ingrossed in his book. He knew during something like this, appearances might give him an edge.  
  
"No, you did." Yami said crossing his arms.  
  
Ryou looked at Yami, and out of the corner of his eye he Ginny was still around. He said in Ancient Egyptian: "So I did, sue me."  
  
Ginny watched them with wide eyes. She was sitting lightly on the armrest of the chair Ryou sat in, thankfully, she was not between the combatants. Off to the side, barely daring to breath. Ryou was looking so... dangerous. Well, sort of. She would have sighed again if it hadn't look like the beginnings of a war. She always went for that type of guy. Tom had had that aura of darkness about him, which later was explained by the fact he *was* dark. Harry was always saving the world, and he looked *so* cute with his hair all mussed up. *That's the problem with you, girl. You can't decide who's the cutest,* her conscious told her. *So?* she asked herself. *Oh, just look at those three.* A slow grin crept onto her face. *Just wait until the other girls find out those three were at my house for a while. They will be so jealous...* Her conscious rolled its metaphorical eyes.  
  
Malik glanced at Ginny for a second. "Ryou," he said, using the first name to remind Bakura how important this was, "we really need to find out. Has he hurt you before?" Malik used Ancient Egyptian, too.  
  
Bitterly Bakura thought: *Yeah, and it is only now you've noticed. Idiots.* He stopped, 'idiots'... They were his friends. Right? *Well they were... I don't know about know though.* "What's it to you?" he asked acidly, in Egyptian.  
  
"I'm assuming that you're the tomb robber, or at least are in contact with him," Malik said in Egyptian, "because you're speaking in Egyptian."  
  
Ryou glared. Standing up, he grabbed at the cord of the Ring, and yanked it off. He deliberately stepped on it, wincing inwardly as he did. Him taking off the Ring, was what had started this ugly incident in the first place. His yami would not like this, but it there was a chance that Yami Yugi would like it even less. "I don't rely on him. I learned this myself," he said, making sure he said it in prefect, unaccented Egyptian. He was rewarded by seeing Yami and Malik's eyebrows shoot up. "And he is not impairing my judgment."  
  
"Oh really?" asked Yami. "Malik told me he apologized to you last night for bruising you. I think that might affect it at least a little."  
  
Bakura stiffened. He could not say otherwise there. That was completely true. "Fine, it did, but so what?" he asked, his voice rising.  
  
"Bakura, have you been hit on the head?! He... was --and still is I'll bet-- a thief!" Malik was almost shouting.  
  
Harry heard the raised voices; he and Ron both stood up simultaneously. Going into the next room, the were greeted with the sight off Malik and Ryou arguing loudly in another language. 'Yugi' was leaning against the wall, seemingly unconcerned, but projecting the feel that he supported Malik. Ginny was on the other side of Ryou, watching.  
  
"So what? You've tried to kill people!" Ryou had given up any pretense of composure.  
  
"But he had a reason for that," Yami interrupted smoothly.  
  
"And so do I! I can handle him!" Ryou shouts bought the rest of the Weasleys into the living room, to watch the small spectacle that was unfolding. Fortunately, the three were shouting in Egyptian at each other.  
  
"Ryou, you may think you can, but he is millennias older than you, with just that much more experience." Yami said, hoping to persuade the boy.  
  
Ryou glared at him again. "So?" he asked, conscious of the fact of how often he was using it. But since he could not think of a better reply, it would have to be sufficient.  
  
"Bakura, have you gone mad? You've seen what he can do!" Malik yelled.  
  
Ryou bit his lip. He *was* afraid he had gone mad. And he did know what the spirit could do; he was also afraid he would do stuff like that too.  
  
Yami sighed silently. Malik seemed to have struck a cord with Bakura.  
  
\\I think the worst is over,\\ he told Yugi.  
  
\Good, I guess I take control now?\  
  
\\Yes...\\ Yami was still unsettled about the argument.  
  
Yugi took over, tossing his head to make the bangs transition back down look normal, he saw that the whole of the household had gathered. *Okay, how do we get out of this one?*  
  
Malik too was wondering the same thing.  
  
Mrs. Weasley stared at the three, then blinked. "Umm..." she said, "as I was going to say earlier, before Ryou came in, you're going to be visiting the town."  
  
"What? Why?" asked George. "We went to Diagon Alley yesterday."  
  
"No, no. You are going into the muggle town." Mr. Weasley corrected.  
  
"I get that even less!" said Fred, confused. "Why on Earth would we want to do that? It's still raining."  
  
"It will be educational." Mrs. Weasley told them in that patronizing tone parents use.  
  
"Why can't I stay here?" Fred whinnied. "And what about money?"  
  
"Your father has the money. Do you really want to stay here?" Mrs. Weasley said, her voice having an edge of wicked humor.  
  
Fred blanched, remembering what his parents must have been doing two days ago. "No... not really..."  
  
***  
  
Yugi sighed, wishing again that it would stop raining. The only good thing about it was that it had gotten rid of the blue hair dye the twins had used in his hair. But that was a faint comfort as Yugi had been planning on taking a shower anyway. They had already been thrown out of three shops because of the twins antics. They had evidently not know they weren't supposed to go into the lady's changing room (or maybe they did, but hadn't felt like it). That had gotten them banned form two shops, which had contributed to Yugi opinion that they knew precisely what they had been doing. For the last shop they had been goofing around with the light switches.  
  
"Gosh, it was just the lighting," muttered Fred, rubbing his ear.  
  
"You have a lot to learn," Malik told him.  
  
"Mhh..." Fred said. A thought dawned on him. "Say, Dad said that you had fallen into the wrong crowd... what did that mean?"  
  
"You have a *lot* to learn," Malik repeated.  
  
"No, I mean... well..." Fred said a little embarrassed.  
  
"You mean how did it happen?" Malik asked.  
  
Fred looked abashed, but nodded.  
  
"I would rather not talk about it."  
  
"Oh," Fred said, disappointed. He had been hoping for some juicy tale.  
  
"So," said Ron picking up the tread of conversation, "you three seemed to have met before, where?"  
  
"Uhhh..." Yugi said, nothing coming to mind.  
  
"Oh, we all play the same game," Malik said quickly.  
  
"Really?" asked Ginny, looking up from counting what soggy paper bills of money she had left. "What's the game?"  
  
"Duel Monsters," Yugi answered.  
  
"That's an odd name..." input George.  
  
"Well, we like it." Malik paused. "That isn't quite all either," he said, seeing a chance for a good lie. "We ended up basing another roleplaying game on that."  
  
"Roleplaying?" interrupted Fred.  
  
"Um, you know, like Dungeons and Dragons." Malik said with a shrug, hoping he had pulled the right example out of mind.  
  
"What's Dungeons and Dragons?" asked Ron. "The only dungeon I can think of that has a dragon is Gringotts, and that's more like a maze..."  
  
"Never mind," Okay, so it didn't matter if he had gotten it right. "Roleplaying means to pretend you're someone else."  
  
"Oh..." Ron said.  
  
"Anyway," Malik continued, "this game is intimately involved in Duel Monsters and Ancient Egypt. You see we each have a different persona assigned to us by my sister. It really complicated but it's fun. The role assigned to Yugi is that he is some Pharaoh reincarnated, one who had saved the world in the past. Mine is--"  
  
"That of a madman," Yugi interrupted, "who's intent on killing the Pharaoh."  
  
Malik indulged his urge to stick his tongue out at Yugi.  
  
"Who is also split-minded. And the other personality tries to destroy the world." Yugi grinned.  
  
"Sounds... complicated," Ron said, his eyebrows raised. "Who is Ryou?"  
  
"Ryou's," Malik automatically sought the white-haired teen. "*Where's* Ryou?"  
  
"What?" asked Yugi, also looking. "Where is he?"  
  
"What do yah think I just said," Malik snapped looking.  
  
"I remember seeing him last in the last shop," offered Ginny, inwardly wondering how she could not have missed him.  
  
"You mean the one which Fred and George fooled with the lighting? Hmm... I guess when they threw us out, Ryou was some where else and didn't notice." Harry said slowly.  
  
"Mum's gonna kill us for that. She told us to stick together," Ginny bemoaned.  
  
"Well, at least he has his wand," Fred offered.  
  
"Which he doesn't know how to use," Harry pointed out acidly.  
  
*Well, at least he has the Ring,* Malik reasoned, *The robber won't let him come to any real ha--* An image flashed through his mind, one of Ryou taking of the Ring. *Oh, hell.* He looked at Yugi who had come to the same conclusion. He also looked past Yugi. In the rain, a man carrying a red umbrella was walking towards them, a man who wore a USA flag bandanna tied on his head. "Bandit Keith..." Malik hissed. Everything seemed to be happening at once.  
  
"What?" exclaimed Yugi.  
  
"Who?" asked Ron.  
  
"Bandit Keith's someone we don't want to meet. He's also coming straight towards us," Malik said hurriedly.  
  
"Wh--" Yugi started to say.  
  
"I'm sure he'll recognized me --even without the robe-- by the amount of gold I wear, and my hair. Also, do really want to explain why you suddenly can't speak Japanese?" Malik snapped, breaking into a run. "Ginny, you have the map, which way do we turn next?"  
  
"Umm..." Ginny fumbled around in her purse for it, trying to ignore the liquid they splashed through was soaking into her jeans. "Urrm..." she panted, pulling out the damp map, "Left, I think."  
  
After about what felt like twenty blocks later, they stopped running. After they had seen Keith, they had spotted a couple of his goons, too.  
  
"Where are we?" asked Ron looking at the dark, rain slick, graffitied walls.  
  
"Umm... according to this, we're on Bale Street," Ginny said, squinting over a soggy map.  
  
All looked around, searching for a sign.  
  
"Well, this says we're on Green Lane," Yugi said pointing at a road sign.  
  
Malik took a closer look at the map. "Well, what daya know? This is for *London*."  
  
Yugi took a sharp breath. "Let me get this right, we have the wrong map, Bakura is sperated from us, and to top it all off, we're lost--"  
  
"Hey, blondie, give me all the jewelry and nobody gets hurt!"  
  
"--on the wrong side of town."  
  
A man emerged from the shadows, holding a gun. He was lean, dressed in a pair of baggy blue jeans, and a soggy black sweater. The street was deserted, and it was raining even harder than ever.  
  
Yami took over, almost automatically. "You shall have to win it first!" he declared.  
  
"Oh no..." Malik whispered. "Yami, not now." He would have buried his face in his hands if it weren't so serious. This could get ugly real fast. If Yami did mange to pull what ever it was of, they would have to explain it to the others, who would be sure to ask questions.  
  
"And that gold pyramid too!" the man added.  
  
"The puzzle!? Not on your life!" Yami exclaimed.  
  
"It's me who's holdin' the gun, kiddo," the man told him, waving it threateningly.  
  
"Yugi, Malik! There you are," Bakura, who had just came around the corner, yelled waving.  
  
The would-be criminal turned, giving Malik the opening he needed. Quickly, he delivered a swift blow the back of the man's head, knocking him out.  
  
"What happened this time?" Ryou asked in long suffering tone, looking at the unconscious man, who was sprawled out in the alley he had come out of.  
  
"This punk was trying to rob us," Malik said nudging the body with his foot. He looked at Yami.  
  
Yami seemed to be pouting slightly.  
  
Bakura sighed, "You can't get them all," he told the Pharaoh. "And," he stooped down and picked up the pistol, and pulled out the magazine "It'sn't loaded...." he said, and threw it hard on to the wall. It hadn't been very well constructed either.  
  
Malik muttered darkly about what he would be doing if it had been loaded and it hadn't been in pieces.  
  
"Umm... you know, I think this qualifies as something we can go back to the house for..." Fred said, eyes still wide after his brush with danger.  
  
Yami nodded solemnly.  
  
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Stella: *massaging face* Okay, so there may not be an Egyptian equivalent for 'so', but so what. Artist license. It could be a week or so before I update again, sorry. 


	18. Ch 18: Understatements

Stella: Sorry this took so long, and that it's so short. Got a case of writers block. -_- Then Wind got a little depressed. This time the subject was human nature. *sighs* Also I forgot to remember that I would be visiting a friend for a while. ^_^U Sorry! Still no italics. Stars must do in their places.  
  
Review Responses: None, apologizes. I wanted to get this up as soon as I could. Next chapter!  
  
Disclaimer: See last chapter.  
  
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Chapter Eighteen: Understatements  
  
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The bus ride and walk back to the Burrow after the failed mugging was somber. Yami remained in control, as Yugi felt it might give him a chance to find out what Ryou off balance (or as Yugi was starting to feel privately, off his rocker). Fred and George where trying to convince everyone that they only need to tell the parents an edited version of what had happened. Specifically what their suggested version changed was that instead of being thrown out of three shops, they had voluntarily left. Also, in the edited story of that days exploits, Ryou had only gone a little farther than the others, searching for a sign to tell them were they were. After some constant badgering, the twins had their way.  
  
Yami had no such luck with Ryou. On the bus, there were other people, and most of the Weasleys weren't helping as they would point at something absolutely normal (to the other passengers on the bus) and exclaim 'would you look at that!' Yami, Harry, and Malik had trouble keeping the twins quite especially. Finally, not at all too soon for certain peoples sanity, they arrived at their stop. Now they would only need to walk a quater of a mile or so til they arrived at the Burrow.  
  
"So," asked Yami, to Ryou after they were about a dozen paces behind the others, "what did happen before you found us again?"  
  
"Nothing really..." Ryou answered slowly. "Walked around, thinking if nothing else I could go back to the Burrow." He slowed down even more, and fell even farther behind the others.  
  
Yami stopped, and waited for the other boy to catch up.  
  
"I'm guessing that the light flickering on and off in the last store were the twins work?" Ryou asked, after a wee silence.  
  
"Yes, the store's manger showed us out very quickly," Yami said, looking at the landmarks, and estimated it would be another ten minutes before they reached the Burrow.  
  
"Ehh..." Ryou put a hand to the side of his head, and came to a full stop.  
  
"Something wrong?" Yami asked, stopping also.  
  
"No, not really...just--"  
  
"Thought of what going to happen when we get back, and you get the Ring back on?" Yami supplied. "You don't have to put it back on if you don't want to. If Tomb Rob--"  
  
"No, it's not that," Ryou interrupted. "I keep on having this vision of the Ring...and that's giving me a headache."  
  
Yami forehead wrinkled in concern. "Vision?" he asked, the original intent of talking to the white-haired boy forgotten.  
  
"Yeah, one of the Ring; background's the Shadow Realm."  
  
"The Shadow Realm? That doesn--"  
  
"Doesn't sound good, I know," Bakura interrupted, his head held in both hands now. "Oh, Hathor... this *hurts.*  
  
Yami gently touched a shoulder.  
  
"What are you two doing?" yelled Ron. "We'll get back home around Christmas at the rate we're going!" He ran back towards them. He stopped as he saw Ryou, whose expression now was that of almost pure pain. "What's wrong?" he asked.  
  
"Headache," Ryou managed to bite out.  
  
"Real bad one, then." Ron said, looking at him, carefully.  
  
"Understatement," Ryou moaned.  
  
"Oh... Can ya walk?" Ron asked.  
  
"Yeah...it's my head that hurts." Ryou answered, and to prove it he took a shaky step forward. His latter steps were a little more stable. The pain, while still there, ebbed.  
  
The others watched him a little closer. Malik had raised a semi-knowing eyebrow, whenever Yami looked at him. Yami continued to mouth 'later'. Finally, later came. They arrived back at the Burrow.  
  
The door was locked.  
  
"Now what?" asked Ginny, kicking it, causing a loud thunk.  
  
"Go away!" someone called from behind the door.  
  
A collective sigh of relief was heard. They wouldn't be locked out have the day, with the sky above threatening to storm again.  
  
"Percy, it's us! Have a little compassion; let us in! We have come back form another life endangering experience!" Fred yelled.  
  
"What?" Percy said, shocked into opening the door. "Well...this should be something worth hearing. But you had better not be making it up, as Mum will have your hides." He opened the door wide enough for them to crowd though, than shut it quickly.  
  
"Where's Mum and Dad?" Ron asked, looking around.  
  
"Umm..." Percy bit his lip. "They went up to the paddock. Up were you usual play Quidditch," he said, his voice holding a note of faint defeat.  
  
"But it's gonna rain soon." Ron said, pointing out the obvious. "Why on earth would they want to go up there? Mum doesn't play-- *oh*." Ron looked disturbed.  
  
"Again?" Yami asked, a little light hit his eyes, giving them a mischievous sparkle. He tapped a finger on his chin. "I wonder whether it will be a boy or a girl?"  
  
"Yugi!"  
  
Malik lowered his head and shook it, hiding his smile. On the whole, so far he had enjoyed his time with the Weasleys and Harry. His yami was much quieter now, perhaps it knew with the two other yamis, it chances of actually being able to do something were slim. It was such a nice home, so many children. The atmosphere, though it could get a little tense sometimes, was warm. But most of the time it seemed Bakura was the cause of most of the disturbance. He sighed slightly, Bakura was worrying him. Enormously.  
  
"Oh, yeah," Percy said, bring Malik back to the real world, "Mum said she thought this might be yours." He pulled the Millennium Ring out of his pocket and deposited it in Bakura's hand, without giving him time to blink.  
  
Ryou quickly donned it, and dropped the metal beneath his shirt.  
  
Ron had seen it. "Was that real gold?" he asked, looking curiously at the slight bulged under Ryou's shirt.  
  
"Yeah." Malik could swear he heard Bakura whisper: 'and real trouble, too.'  
  
"Woah! How much did it cost?" Ron said, eyes lighting up with glee.  
  
Ryou just smiled wanly at him and sat down, on couch. He leaned back, and formed the thought to his yami.  
  
\I'm sorry.\  
  
\\Sorry about what?\\ asked the tomb robber grumpily.  
  
\What do you mean?\ Ryou exclaimed mentally.  
  
\\What I mean is why are you apologizing to me?\\ Yami Bakura kept his tone as civil as possible. He was going to have to be on his best behavior; a large chance still remained that pesky spirits like him could banished or something of that sort. He knew if so, the yami of Malik's would be the first to go, but afterwards...  
  
\Erm... you didn't notice than?\  
  
\\No... what was it?\\ Yami Bakura asked, confused.  
  
\Er, I dueled Yugi...and lost,\ Ryou lied. What the thief didn't know, couldn't hurt Ryou.  
  
\\Little one, I've dueled Yami how many times? And how many times have I truly won?\\ the schemer asked.  
  
\Um, is this a trick question?\ Ryou asked nervously.  
  
\\See?\\  
  
The humor in Yami Bakura's voice, was a note that Ryou had never heard before. Sure, he had heard him laugh, but that had always been half way--if not totally-- insane. For some reason, it made him more cautious. He gave a forced mental polite chuckle back. He opened his eyes, and saw everyone was looking at him expectantly.  
  
"Bakura." Malik shook his head. "Never mind, talk to you later." He smiled, and exited the room. There was a faint clanking on the stairs.  
  
Ryou knew they were staring. There was no need to look, he could feel the eyes that bored in. He studiously studied his damp jeans.  
  
"Emr..." Yugi finally said after the silence had become unbearable, "You spaced out. Um..." Yugi also went out of the room, and...yes, there was the faint clanking of someone on the stairs.  
  
Ryou continued to examine his pants with feigned interest. It was all very well for Yugi and Malik. Yugi and Yami had such a close bond. And Yami Malik was just a part of Malik; yes, Malik may hate that part, but like it or not Malik and Yami Malik would have to learn to get along. Ryou's link with the grave robber was erratic. Yami Bakura often was able to get the most results with it. Ryou supposed it might be because he had quite a bit more experience with magic. He buried his face in his hands. Everything seemed so confusing. He shouldn't be carrying a potential Armageddon around. For goodness sake, he wasn't even eighteen.  
  
"So," Ryou faintly identified the voice as Percy's, "why did you come back here?"  
  
"Oh, you know, guy tried to rob us, got distracted, Malik socked him and knocked him out. The usual thing that Mum will never forgive herself for," George bantered.  
  
"Well, they're not going to be back for a while. Tell," Percy commanded.  
  
George sighed, but obliged.  
  
Up the stairs, in Ron's room other explanations were taking place.  
  
"So, Bakura kept on seeing the Ring, and his headache stemmed from that?" Malik asked, his voice unbelieving. "Do you think the robber caused it?"  
  
"No," Yami said slowly, "I do not. I don't think you can do that... The link between them is rather weak. I don't think I could do that..."  
  
"Hmm... Do you-- maybe the Ring?" Malik said slowly.  
  
"The Ring? What-- you think the Ring caused it?" Yami began to pace. "That would mean that..."  
  
"That the Items have at least a little intelligence," Malik finished, shocked.  
  
"It would exepl--... but... Maybe just a defense mechanism." Yami said, looking at the Egyptian posters on what was formerly Bill's side of the room.  
  
"Perhaps..."  
  
Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were rather shocked to come home and find the children had already retuned, and the tale had to be told again at supper.  
  
"I hope you don't think that this type of thing is common," Mr. Weasley said to Yugi, Ryou, and Malik. "Truth be told, this is quite a streak of bad luc--"  
  
"Don't worry," Yami cut in. "It can be quite a bit more dangerous back home." He grinned at the private joke. "The turn of a card meaning life or death..."  
  
Malik and Ryou experienced similar urges to hit him. Yami could give it all away if he wasn't careful. But that *did* give Malik an idea.  
  
"Um, what Yugi means by that," Malik said slowly, then stopped, and tried a slightly different angle. "Okay, the reason we ran from Bandit Keith is that we've seen him...well, Yami told me one time he saw him try and rob someone at gunpoint," Malik said in a very false cheery voice. "And there's other people --who show up by some miracle-- we might end up running from."  
  
"So that game you were telling us about earlier is sort of serious?" Ron asked spearing with his fork a carrot.  
  
"No," Yami said quickly.  
  
"Yeah," Ryou answered.  
  
"Yes," Malik affirmed.  
  
But the three had each given their answers with in two seconds of each other, making it a little hard to figure out what the answer was.  
  
"Ur, Yugi doesn't view it as important; to him is not the game, but human emotions for the most part," Malik explained rapidly.  
  
"Oh," Ron said, ending the conversation.  
  
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Stella: Please review!!! And it goes without saying there are mistakes... 


	19. Ch 19: Moonlit Ponderings

Wind: One note, when referring to a yami from the point of view of one the characters that aren't in on the deal, we might use this: 'Ryou' instead of Yami Bakura. 

Stella: Would have updated sooner, but it wouldn't let us upload. 

Review Responses: 

For 17: 

Arian Starswing, Emerald-Forest, Evergladelord, AG the master, Silver Angel, ExBobble06, shannon, FireSenshi, and Lily of the Shadow: Thanks!!! 

Behold the Void: Nope, I only get to one con a year, and my social life is nonexistent. 

DragonMaiden: We're beginning to think 50 chapters would be a minimum *shudders* 

Hikaru: *grins* 

Yami Yavi-no-Lyithien: I need to get my hands on the manga. If I'd red one or two of the original, I might have put one in. 

Joci:Four to my knowledge have been finished, but I can't remember them... ^_^U This one shall be completed, though. 

yeshiv@*@k@*m@liklover: Err... I'm sorry, but what do you mean I mentioned you? Yeah, they got home. 

Sarah:Not right now, but thanks. 

bakurakrazie: Erm, as far as I know, Hogwarts is in Scotland. If you haven't looked at White Angel's stuff, do so. Real good. 

Frankie's Precious Angel: DE, that's the last time I tell you were to find my story! *grins jokingly* 

beckboo: *mutters* I'll be very lucky to finish this in twenty chapters. 

YAMI CHIP: Yep, it was. Sorry, I use both names. You'll see. 

Alaena Flame Dragonstar: Yeah, I like it to. Wind came up with it though.*sighs* I'm surprised I haven't seen other authors use it. 

There was some problem. Most of the reviews for chapter 18 did not go up on the site, I remember a couple of questions, however. If we didn't answer your question, review. 

Where is Hermione? Back at her home, with her cousin, Jena. 

Malik has been using Yami and Yugi interchangeable, because 'Yami' is supposedly Yugi's nickname. 

Uhh, can't remember any others, so on to the ones FF.net did get! 

DespairingAngel: Thank you! 

DarkSpellCaster: Hathor is an Egyptian goddess. Her attributes are generally that of love and festivatets. That was one of the first names that came to mind... *grins sheepishly* 

AG the master: Nor can I. 

  
  
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Chapter Nineteen: Moonlit Ponderings 

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Harry glanced up from his half finished essay on goblin rebellions in the seventeenth century, to look at the textbook. He had procrastinated most of the summer and not done most of his schoolwork, now he had to write six essays in six days. It was Monday, and raining again. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had gone up to the padlock earlier. That and they had also come in together that morning. Harry was beginning to seriously ponder 'Yugi's' earlier question of whether it would be a boy or a girl. 

"What the hell is a 'Death Eater'?" Malik asked from a beaten red recliner. 

"What--" Ron started to say, and then stopped. "Forgot, you're not a wizardborn," he said sheepishly. "A Death Eater is someone who servers You-Know-Who." 

"No, I don't know who," Malik told him sardonically. 

"Voldemort," Harry said, after it had become apparent that Ron would not say the dark lord's dreaded name. 

"Oh..." Malik continued to read the book. 

Ryou was curled up in one of two love seats, seemingly engrossed in his book. Seemingly was a key word here; Harry had been watching Ryou carefully as a welcome distraction from his essay, the white-haired teen had not turned the page for over five minutes. 

"Ryou?" Harry asked, wondering if the other boy was slumbering. 

"Mmh?" Ryou lifted his head a little. 

"Just wanted to know whether you'd fallen asleep," Harry said truthfully. 

"No," Ryou's tone had suddenly turned as cold as the artic snow his hair so resembled. 

"Yeah, I sort of figured you hadn't after you answered me." Harry fell silent again, trying to write his essay. He, in the end, had written only two thirds of what had been required. Sighing slightly at himself, and hoping the ghost who taught History of Magic would not notice the skimping, he put away his ink and quill. 

Ron looked up from his writing. "I loath this assignment." He folded the parchment, put it between the pages of course book and threw it across the room. "I think I've done enough. What should we do now?" 

"Well," Ginny spoke up from the chair next to Ryou, "you could try and start on the next." Ginny herself was working on her second draft of her Charms essay. 

Ron glared at his younger sister. 

Yugi, who had been reading about Charms, said: "Speaking for myself, there is only so much I can cram in without a break." 

"Same here," Malik said. 

Their eyes met. 

"DUEL!" they both shouted and ran up the stairs to grab the duel disks. 

"Uhmm," Fred said, standing on the threshold of the door, holding a plate of munchies, "what happened?" 

"Yugi and Malik are going to be playing a game shortly," Ryou explained, shutting his book. 

"You mean that card game Malik told us a little about yesterday?" Fred asked. 

"Probably, I wasn't there," Bakura said, shrugging. "They had to go get the duel disks... Umm, they're holographic projectors." 

"What?" asked Harry. 

"Um, seen *_Star Trek_*?" Ryou waited for Harry to nod in confirmation before continuing. "Remember the --now what was it called....? The holo deck, I think it was. It's sort of like that. The technology is very advanced..." 

Harry nodded, a little confused, but as he was to be seeing it shortly, he felt there was no real need for him to ask further. "I think it's the muggle equivalent of an illusion," he explained to the others. 

Yugi and Malik were both clamoring back down the stairs, fitting odd disks with triangles on the sides on their arms. 

"Think the rooms big enough?" asked Malik, surveying the living room critically. 

"A little cramped, but we should be able to mange," Yugi replied. "We might want to move the furniture out of the way." 

"Yeah." Malik moved aside a coffee table, and two chairs. "That'll do." 

"Um, Yugi?" Ryou said, "Uh, are planning to use those cards?" 

"How else am I supposed to du-- oh." Yugi shifted through his deck rapidly and pulled out his two god cards. He put them back into his deck case on his belt. "Let's duel..." 

Bakura, now assured nothing unexpected was *_likely_* to happen, told his yami. \_Malik and Yugi are about to duel, wanna watch?_\ 

\\_No, Yami will trounce him, easy,_\\ Yami Bakura said curtly. 

\_'Kay._\ Ryou was a little puzzled by his yami's behavior. Nothing had really happened ever since they'd come to the Burrow. The spirit was withdrawing a little even. Ryou was becoming a little uneasy. The other was usual plotting something when he became quite, excluding duels. 

Yami took over, and drew his hand. 

Malik groaned. "Did have to do that?" he asked plaintively. 

"What did you expect?" asked the Pharaoh. "Besides, that way would have only taken a little longer for you to have lost." 

"I would have had a slightly better chance at winning," grumbled Malik as he drew his five cards. 

"About the same chance of sticking your arm into the heart of a fire and not being brunt," Yami told him bluntly. 

"Shut up." Malik told him. "I'll go first." 

Of course the Weasleys and Harry were amazed and intraced by the holograms; Ryou after seeing Malik lose twice went back to reading. Malik's losses were seven, all in a row, in total. 

"Damn," he mumbled as he took off the disk. 

*** 

Lunch had been a self serve affair, and only Mr. Weasley had turned up for dinner (Percy had cooked baked potatoes and salad), he had taken a dish for his wife and had gone back outside, into the light drizzle. He had also told them not to stay up waiting for them, with what he beleived to be a rougish wink. 

In the days that fallowed, they had to stay in the house, but as a rain cloud seemed to have settled over the Barrow, they felt no incentive to really go out. The moments when it did stop raining, one could look out the window, seeing an atmosphere of gloom. The trees dripped, and the clouds above would soon continue to rain. And Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were outside most of the day. 

But the night before they were to go to Hogwarts, it miraculously cleared. The stars were now shining as bright as could be, and the moon, soon to be full, bathed the countryside in its silver light. The water was still there, but it was only damp, not a swamp. 

Ryou sat on the garden wall, with his back to the gnomes who were running about, playing some version of tag that involved them dunking one another in to the pond. Also his back was turned to the small figure that had come out, but he had heard the door slam shut. 

Ginny walked out into the cool night, glancing around she saw Ryou was sitting on the wall. "Hey," she said as she approached him. 

"Hey," he replied back. 

Ginny frowned slightly at his tone, but it didn't seem to want her to leave she went over to the wall. The wall was a little taller than her, making it hard for her to struggle up. 

Ryou watched her, then turned around and jumped of the wall, to land beside her. "Need a leg up?" he asked. 

"Yeah," Ginny said blushing. 

Ryou made a cup with his hands and boosted her up. Then he wiped his hands on his jeans, and made a small leap. His hands on top of the wall, he pulled himself up. 

The two teens sat in silence, looking out at the field and the woods in the distance. 

Finally Ryou broke it. "Ginny," he said slowly, as though it was after a difficulty decision, "do you believe in fate? You know everything's preordained by the gods and such?" He continued to look at the fields, but his tone was very serious. 

It was on the tip of Ginny's tongue to say 'and that junk', but she decided not to because this might be something important to Ryou...and it was a matter for deep thought and careful answerers. "I can't give you a good answer on that," she said slowly. "I don't really believe in any gods right now, but I haven't really give it any real amount of thought. If something happened that...that...gave me sign," she finished awkwardly, "I would probably take it to heart." 

Ryou gave one brief chuckle after she had stopped talking. "What would you say to that history repeats itself?" 

Ginny's brow winkled in thought. Ryou was throwing quite a few tough ones at her. "I...I...I would say that... though history might repeat itself it...isn't..." she sighed, in frustration, "it's possible to...break away from it. To not be influenced much by it. All situations are different," she said, her pace speeding up now that she had gotten past the initial hurdles. "If someone certain that it would happen all over again, and did nothing to stop because their belief it would be futile, chance are they might even help it along. On the other hand though, if you tried hard enough to halt it, you probable could." 

"But what about the Greek myth of Oedipus? Where by trying to avoid what has been prophesized, it comes true?" Ryou countered. 

Ginny chewed on her lip. "Again I must say I don't really have a real answer for that..." She fell silent, staring at the grass stalks. Then she said slowly and cautiously, "But I think it all depends on you handle things in the end. You can change paths, but you just need to try to think of the consequences. Or don't, and rely on instincts which could serve you just as well." Ginny was wincing inwardly as she said this, it wasn't well phased, or really thought out, but it was how she felt about it, so it would have to do. 

Ryou nodded slowly. "Thank you, Ginny," he said. 

"You're welcome," Ginny said, not certain what exactly she was being thanked for. "Um..." she said after a couple of minutes, "the reason I came out was to tell you Percy's almost done with dinner--" 

"Let me guess, potatoes and salad," Ryou interrupted sardonically. 

"Yeah, getting real tried of that," Ginny said with a sigh. "He's trying to add another dish, toast...that he's cooking and burning in a skillet." 

"Fun," Bakura said sarcastically. "Um...this question may seem intrusive, so don't answer it if you don't want to, but do your parents often do this?" 

"No, this is the first time," Ginny told him. 

"Ah..." 

The door opened again, the light from the house silhouetting Ron, "HEY," he shouted, "FOOD'S DONE!" 

"GOT IT," Ginny called back. The door closing answered her. "Ready to go in?" she asked, think it was rhetorical. 

"No, you can tell them I'm not really hunger," Ryou said, and helped her down. 

"'Kay," she told him. 

*** 

Ginny thought Ryou hadn't missed much; in addition to burning the toast, (Literally burning it. Percy had some how set it on fire.) Percy had chosen the worst of the greens for salad. After dinner, they had gone into the living room, to enjoy the last night of summer vacation. Ryou still had not come in. 

Ginny was struggling to braid her hair when she saw Ryou had managed to not to let the back door slam when he came in. 

He walked over to ware Yugi and Malik sat, trying to puzzle out Potions book. "Hi," he tentatively said, "Um...well...uh... friends again?" he finally said, and offered his hand. 

"Ryou," said Yugi, looking him straight in his eyes, "when *_weren't_* we?" 

Ryou grinned.   
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Stella: *_sighs happily_* Please review.   



	20. Ch 20: Cold, Harsh Reality

Stella: Yes, yes, very late update...Hope no readers have been lost...As the bio says, we went on an almost week long 'vacation'. And then I came back sick. I'm still sick. I was sick on my birthday. The only reason there is no mound of crumpled tissue beside me is 'cause I cleaned it up. Plus, I had a wondrous early birthday present of writer's block. *_cough_* 

Wind: One more thing, real life is interfering a little. Updates are going to be irregular for a while. It could be mid-August when it quiets down. Or if we real try, no updates for a week and a half, then semi regular. Oh well, any way we chose will result in no update before July 6. Sorry. Real life can be a real *****. 

Review Responses: 

Joci: Err...eck... 

Evergladelord : You'll see... 

bakurakrazie: Yeah, but it was necessary. 

Zidane: It could, or it could not. (Stella: Good luck trying to get anything on pairings out of her; the only reason I know about them is 'cause she's my yami.) Hogwarts? *_shrug_* And the secret, we shall see. 

Hikaru: Nope, never e-mailed. No clue what your address is. But thank you very much for writing that. Of course the story gets continued. It helps vent all sorts of emotion for one. 

Alaena Flame Dragonstar: They seem to be...plus someone gets a first real appearance in this chappie... 

Jase Shadowstar: I think I mentioned in in a review response in three, but it's still Kaiba with Obelisk. Sorry. Also Duel Monsters part in this is minimal. 

AG the master: *_chukles_* Could be another two chapters until Hogwarts, let alone classes. 

summer psycho: You'll see as will Zidane. 

Autumn Ann: Thanks. That is really encouraging. 

Yami Yavi-no-Lyithien: Hogwarts? Chapter twenty-one, two? 

Ami of Destiny: Tried his other fantasy series? 

Raven Scorn: You might like some of this chapter. 

Behold the Void: Maybe? _Maybe?_ Yeah, it does. And what's worse, it's true. 

Morgana: *_grins_* 

Arian Starswing: Would you know who? The itals take some work though. 

Cettie-girl: Yeah, for the most part Ryou was. 

yeshiv@*@k@*m@liklover: That happen when you ask a question. 

TeeDee, Sarah, beckboo, YAMI CHIP, Firehedgehog, and DarkMagicianGirl: Thank you! 

Disclaimer: See last chapter. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Chapter Twenty: Cold, Harsh Reality 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Ryou slowly climbed, up and up, forever on it seemed. He was in field of stars, nebulas, and space. The stairs he climbed were there, he could feel them under his feet, they were transparent, and only could be seen out of the corner of his eyes or when the starlight hit them right. Then Ryou could not see the stairs at all, and he stood in front of a large black fire. The flames leapt high, but through them, he saw his yami was on the other side. 

*_The time will soon come, prepare._* 

Then what ever it had been that held him aloft vanished, and he fell. His yami seemed to have disappeared. Ryou saw with horror that he could see through his right arm. A flash of green light and-- 

--And Ryou awoke. He blinked, and felt his damp sheets. _The first night in ages that I dream and don't have a nightmare caused by him or crated by him, I wake up in cold sweat._ But before he could ponder the ironies of this, he was suddenly aware that he wasn't cold, but warm. More than warm, _hot_. His chest felt hot and heavy, without thinking he quickly pulled his shirt off, over his head. His Millennium Ring was behaving oddly, as he had half expected, but Ryou had never seen it act like this! 

The gold had taken a decidedly blood-red tint. Its seven dangled points of metal were pointing east...toward were there had been a light most of the nights he had been there. He had assumed that the there was a house or something of that sort. His Ring tugged at him, forcing him to move. He did however manage to pull on a pair of jeans while he was going down the stairs, and he had grabbed one of his button up shirts. 

He quietly stepped out the back door, gently shutting the door so not to wake any one, then he set of in a half trance. He knew, in his sleep fogged state he was in a trance, but he could not muster his will sufficiently to care enough to stop. The sky that had been clear that evening was over cast, and Ryou thought he saw flashes of lightning. Everything seemed sharper and more vivid, even if he was half possessed by the Ring. 

Possessed or not, what Ryou really wanted to do was to get to what ever was causing the Ring to act like this and stop it. Gradually, Ryou became aware of a different wave and brand of magic...one that had no kind intentions to him. Even though it was unfamiliar ground, his pace began to quicken, then slowed. He had found the source of the lights. 

Dumbledore saw the young boy, and swore mentally, but managed to keep on time with the rest of the group. Mr. Weasley caught his eye and tilted his head towards the errant teen. Dumbledore nodded. He could devote no more attention to Ryou however until this final bit of chanting was done, which all his attention was focused upon. 

As the figures who stood in front of the fires stopped chanting, Ryou felt the Ring grow even hotter. Ryou, in a corner of his mind that was not dealing with the overwhelming burn pains from the Ring and the malice of the spell, wished he had put something between the Ring and his skin. Then the magic disappeared, spend away, far away. The Ring continued to glow, but not the flame bright color, but a dark red orange like an ember soon to go out, but that could still be used to light another fire. 

Dumbledore made a couple of motions to his fellows, and they nodded and Apparated away, ready to seek their beds and leave the matter of this uninvited guest to him. 

Dumbledore straitened his robes and walked over to the boy, noting that some odd ornament he wore was glowing red. 

"Guess I was not supposed to see that?" he asked. He looked slightly defiant but more than a little...fearful? 

_Now what would cause that reaction?_ Dumbledore wondered. "No, not really," he answered truthfully. "Most wizards don't even now about it. We're... attempting to counteract someone. It is a very old Persian spell. It was used before they successfully conquered Egypt." 

"Well, that could be the reason this doesn't like it," Ryou told him, trying to figure out a lie quickly. "This is Egyptian." He fingered the now cooling metal, scowling slightly. 

"Ahhh..." 

"My father got it for me a while back..." Ryou continued. "Umm...pretty much what I know about is that it's old, Egyptian, and trouble." 

"I noticed how your acting like it can understand you," Dumbledore said. "With your permission I would like to have a look at it." 

Ryou bit his lip. There was no real way for him to refuse. He took of the Ring and handed it to Dumbledore, but kept a tight grip on the cord. 

Now that he held it, Dumbledore felt its power. It very efficiently masked itself, but touching it bypassed most of that. He felt there were secrets bound in this gold...secrets that made the flesh on his hands creep and goose bumps appear on his forearm. He quickly called upon his magical sense and looked at it. "I sense only a little," he said, and let the Ring drop, "However I think there is something of minimal intelligence there." 

Ryou began to panic a little, then realized that Dumbledore might have meant the Ring itself. "Yeah, I've sort of thought that," he said to hide his feelings. "I've done some things 'cause of it that I wouldn't do normally." 

"Mhh..." Dumbledore considered it. "You mean it sometimes it does magic?" he asked cautiously. 

"Yeah," Ryou admitted, still nervous, but no overly so, "it can be a lot of trouble, but it will help me out occasionally." 

"This does explain some..." Dumbledore smiled at Ryou, reading his body language. "Don't worry, you can keep it. It's Egyptian and though not to much is known about ancient spells, you know you don't mess with them as they may backfire. We aren't even certain what the spell we've just done _does_; the odd weather is an unexpected side effect. We've made several educated guesses and have made certain it cannot harm anyone on our side or the neutrals." 

"Oh," Ryou said very relieved 

"One other thing...could you not tell the others about this?" Dumbledore asked. 

Ryou nodded. "We each have are own secrets." 

He and Ryou stood in a slightly uncomfortable silence. Mr. Weasley, who had to clean up some from the spell items, such as putting out the all but one fire, came over after a bit. He asked if ever thing was done. Dumbledore reassured him. Ryou wasn't listening all that intently. 

"Um," he said slowly, "Mr. Weasley, could you do me a small favor?" 

"What is it?" 

"Could you hold my Ring for a while? I want to think without it." Ryou still held the Ring in his hand from when Dumbledore had given it back. 

"Fine." Mr. Weasley shrugged, and received the Ring. 

Ryou smiled at him, "I'm going to be walking a bit," he said, and melted into the shrubbery. Behind him, he heard Dumbledore begin to explain what he had been told about the Ring a little to Mr. Weasley. 

Once out of sight of the other two, he sighed heavily. Though he and the others were now not fighting, things were not bak to normal. Ryou seriously doubted if anything would ever go back to normal. He had forfeited his claim to normality when he had first put on the Ring. 

Bakura brushed aside a leaf that landed on his shoulder, then on a sudden whim, he caught it before it fell to the ground. In the faint light, he carefully picked at it, leaving only the veins. He stared at it for a second or two, and let it drop to the forest floor. Above him lightning flashed. Unlike earlier that week, when he had been out and thunder sounded, he stayed. Ryou knew that staying out in the rain was bad enough, and he should go back in with the threat lightning, but he could not muster the emotional strength to care. 

When he was younger, before his tenth birthday, his mother used to take him out into storms. Stormwalking, was what she named it. Sometimes she would wake him up at two in the morning, even if it was a school night. If his father didn't have to go into to work early the next day, he would join them and as his sister got older, she joined them. 

They had one house that they had to fix the roof. His mother, upset that they were living in the middle of suburbia were there where no places to walk, had made her own editions. Sometimes he idly wonder if who ever bought the house knew about the thin rubber coating on the roof, and the lightning rod. 

They had watched the storms up on the roof at that house. There was one time, the last time, a month before his birthday, his father had been on one of his then rare trips, and his little sister, his mother said, was too tired to join them, so only he and his mother had gone up on the roof. Both had sat in their normal places. Then in the middle of the storm, lightning struck the lightning rod. Both his mother and he jumped up, and had stared at it in wonder. It had been his last real, untainted happy memory of her. Well, it was mostly untainted... 

Ryou sighed, he really did not need this right now. But the memory of the roof gave him an idea. He looked at the tree across from him, appraising it. _Oh, no..._ his little common sense said. 

"Oh, yes," he said aloud. Going up to it, he felt the bark. Then he took the lowest branch, and climbed all the way up the tree. It wasn't the best or safest of ideas; in fact, he tried to convince himself, it was one of the stupidest. 

However, stupid ideas or not, he had noticed he was becoming more confident. When he was eleven, he would never been beneath a tree or up in a storm, nor would he have fought with his friends like that. But, as he had to admit to himself, in that point of time, he was more of a yes-man than a friend, always agreeing, and never voicing his opinion if it differed. He had never made any real effort to keep in touch with them after he moved again. 

_Maybe...maybe when I had someone that I hugely disagreed with, that I couldn't get away from, I learned to stand for myself agian._ This realization shocked Ryou, but as he thought about it, he saw the truth in it. Though he could not defy Yami Bakura much, he had stopped being such a...well...he hated to say or think it...a wimp. He shrugged at this. _Who knows? I could have gotten a backbone on my own._

Still he was a little disquieted as he watched the lightning above. 

*** 

Malik woke up, blinking. The first thing he realized was he was in a strange bed, that startled him awake, and into properly thinking. _Number one, this is a cot not a bed. Number two, I'm visiting the Weasleys. Number three, I going to school for wizards today._

\\_Good morning,_\\ said an inner voice that had been blessedly quiet for the last few days. 

Immediately, Malik was on his guard. \_It not even light,_\ he replied cautiously. 

\\_Well, how am I supposed to know?_\\ 

Malik chose not to answer. Instead he nodded to Ryou, who was sitting on his bed in the dim light, reading a very tattered, dog-eared book. 

\\_Does that boy ever sleep?_\\ asked Yami Malik. 

"Your up early," remarked Bakura. 

\_Of course he does,_\ Malik vengefully told the mental voice. 

\\_Have you ever seen him sleep?_\\ queried Yami Malik, paying no heed to him. 

"So are you," Malik said. 

\\_Have you? Well, have you?_\\ 

"Fine," Malik snapped. "No." 

"Mental, not so welcome, permanent visitor?" Ryou asked. 

"Yeah, trying to act sane, and if he permanent I'm going to...do something drastic." 

"Mhh," Ryou said, almost as if he didn't believe him. "Gonna take a shower," he said, and grabbed a towel out his bags and exited the room. 

Malik looked at the magical clock that was on the Egpytian themed side. In big characters it proclaimed the time in Mexico City, beneath for the local time it said four something. 

\\_A truly ungodly hour,_\\ said the mental voice Malik had hoped had shut up, \\_in more ways than one, too. As the sun's not up and Ra isn't--_\\ 

Malik changed as quickly as he could, and went down the stairs and out the door, hoping against cold, harsh reality that he could excape him with distance.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Stella: Oh Ra, *_cough_* this far and still no Hogwarts. You know, the plan was to have them at Hogwarts by next chapter. *_sigh, sniff_* Not going to happen, I guess. Dumbledore and Ryou conversation is...horrible. The excuse is I got writer's block and then I went on 'vacation'. Now I know why Wind and I have a fascination with Ancient Egypt; three thousand year old mummies and crumbling papyrus don't hurt your feelings. The more than noticeable Ryou trend got us out most of our depression. 

Malik: *_under his breath_* Keep in mind one other reason they felt so down was all those angst fics they read 'to get over their writer's block'. 

Wind: *_not noticing Malik_* Please review! And oh, Chibizoo, sorry, but not entering the contest. T_T We wanted to, but we needed to read first volume of the manga to write it. By the time we got it, it was two days before vacation, and Stella was in packing frenzy. And vacation...let's not even go _there_. -_-U 


	21. Ch 21: Plots, Plans, and Pools

Wind: The odd comment in the bio about computers and milk refers to an incident that occurred on July 5. Stella was typing. She was thirsty. She took a sip of chocolate milk, but the glass she was using was slick and had no handle. It went all over the computer. 

Stella: Fortunately, the computer was fixed yesterday with some replacements parts and such, but for a while it seemed hopeless. Also I hate to rewrite from scratch.   


Review Responses: 

DragonMaiden: Keep the Persian spell in mind... 

Alaena Flame Dragonstar: You'll see. 

Zidane: Yami Bakura was not paying attention. The spell is _OLD_. 

Windswift: Constructive is nice, but praise will do. 

Blood Cat: Stella's better now. It was the temporary-almost-permanent loss of a computer that delayed this. Please do e-mail it. 

yesim@*@k@*m@liklover: Malik is going in power so conversation are now possible. Malik really wish they weren't. Thank you for telling me, but I don't really mind that at all. I read some of it and I was more concerned about the formatting. And you having to go to school so soon. Poor you. 

rogue solus: Yup, next chapter for some of that. 

Raven Scorne: *holds Pocky* Thank you. *wispers to Stella* What's Pocky? 

AG the master: Another chapter or two until that. 

summer psycho: Already decide that. Long ago. 

anymouns: Tried White Angel? 

Princess Serenity: I think you got the answer. 

CereliaAsh: Yeah, but they'll be there soon enough, got most of necessary stuff done. 

Hikaru: You're welcome. This monster may run over 75. Three years worth of Hogwarts. 

Joci: Each to their own is one of my favorite sayings. Yami Malik first major appearance, as there was a bit in chapter two. Kurama plant a death seed? No clue. 

Behold the Void: Well, at least that keeps the swelled head-itis down. A friend offered to proofread, but she knows nothing about YGO so it may take a little time. But I have a _token_ excuse for this chapter, the A on this keyboard is faulty. 

FireSenshi, Evergladelord, Yami Yavi-no-Lyithien, Sarah, YAMI CHIP, rayne: Thank you.   


Disclaimer: See first chapter.   


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Chapter Twenty-one: Plots, Plans, and Pools 

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Dumbledore chucked another log on to the fire and watched the sparks rise into the pre-dawn sky. He sighed and shook his head as he saw that the log had almost put out half the fire. 

_Well, at least it wasn't the whole fire,_ Dumbledore thought glumly, trying to ease his boredom a little. He was the one who had to watch the spelled fire that their magic had created and document how long it burned and any odd behaviors it exhibited. It also was to be kept burning until it went out. How it was going to go out, Dumbledore didn't know, but he assumed since it was born of magic, the problem would solve itself. If it kept burning past four in the afternoon, the next person would come and relieve him. 

Shoving the wood further in to the heart of the flame with a booted foot, Dumbledore heard a snap. 

Malik Ishtal it seemed could not have been able to get much rest, as he was talking a walk at five something in the morning; Dumbledore doubted it was normal insomnia 

"Hello, Professor." Malik looked and sounded a little preoccupied. Then, a slight smirk of triumph briefly lit his face and disappeared like it had never been there. "What are you doing here?" he asked looking at the fire. 

"Having a little camping trip," Dumbledore said, "before the term starts." 

"Kiddies get on your nerves?" Malik asked, his tone suggesting that he was doubtful of this idea, but as this facet of the world was new to him he was willing to believe things that would have normally seemed odd. 

"No, far from it, but it has been years since I last camped, and I wanted to get back into practice before...well, you'll see. I can't tell you what I'm talking about because I could get in real trouble with the Ministry, but let me just say you'll likely recognize it when you hear it. It was in no way whatsoever my idea," Dumbledore said. 

"Whatever," Malik said, shrugging. 

"So, what are you doing out hear?" Dumbledore asked hoping to find out a little more. 

"Um..." Malik replied intelligently, caught off his guard. "Having a little walk... pre-new-school jitters," he explained, quickly recovering. 

"Oh. So, you're a little excited about it?" Dumbledore said, slowly coming to something he had wanted to discuss with this boy. 

"Faintly. It isn't often you get invited to a school for magic." 

"Yes..."Dumbledore not feeling like making small talk for half an hour, went straight to the point. "Also one other thing this school of magic is offering is counseling." 

Malik sighed. "How much did Isis tell you?" he asked aggrieved. He knew Mr. Weasley was a partly aware about his disreputable past, but Malik didn't know how much he knew. 

Dumbledore was surprised by this question. It implied quite a bit... for some truly _strange_ reason Dumbledore got the feeling that Malik had done more than associate with bad influences. "That you had fallen into the wrong crowd," Dumbledore made a small mental note that next time he met Isis Ishtal to ask more questions; it seemed Malik was not going to more helpful. 

Malik seemed a little more relaxed after Dumbledore told him that, but only a little. Dumbledore was fairly sure this boy didn't even let his guard down with his own sister. This confirmed Dumbledore's growing suspicions about what the hierarchy may have been like. 

"What is Pigcorns like?" Malik asked after they had stood in the night's silence. 

"_ Hogwarts_ is one of the top school is on magic. But since almost every academy says this it's rather uninformative. However, one thing I can say is there is rarely a dull moment. " 

"Could be interesting." 

Dumbledore realized how well the boy had neatly sidestepped the implied question; once more it seemed he was going to be blunt, an around about type of bluntness, but still blunt. "Hogwarts has recently received a grant for the Ministry to hire two councilors. Many of the grants we are receiving, though welcome, come from cuts in many places that I consider essential. But the Minster never said there was a limit, so I've plans to exploit them as much as I can. I couldn't do that with the councilors," Dumbledore said regretfully. "The candidates for the position were already lined up. I just had to choose two." 

Privately, Albus thought that only one had been suitable. Sure Ms. Dustden had excellent credentials, but there was something bout her that Dumbledore didn't like, perhaps it was her attitude, or how she took what ever the Ministry said as the truth and the law. "So instead of getting two or three councilors and giving each a decent workload, I have one I dislike and other I need more time to decide on. The process I'm planning to judge them on is how well they can handle the students and how many are counseled. For that I need quite a few students, so I asking every child that I think of that has one or more issues if they want counseling." 

Malik smirked. "Clever." 

"I thought so myself," Dumbledore said modestly. 

"I'll keep the counseling in mind," Malik said, "but I don't believe I shall need it at the current pace thing are happening at." Malik furrowed his brow briefly. "Then again... at the current pace things are going at, I may need it." 

Before Dumbledore could unravel the cryptic comment, Malik turned and left. 

*** 

After leaving the professor, Malik breathed a sigh of relief. That old man was not as batty as one might think after meeting him. He was too clever and cunning by half; Malik was fairly certain that the reason Dumbledore told him of his stratagem about the new additions to the staff was to lull Malik into trusting him. Yami Malik hadn't helped when Malik had first found them eccentric professor, giving all stimulating suggestions as to the explanation of why the wizard was there, ranging from cannibalism to a lady friend. But Malik had shut him up with an off-handed sounding comment that the professor was going to be rather curious to why he seemed to stop in mid-conversation. He chuckled at the sudden mental picture of what the geezer's reaction to his other side. 

Malik was unaware he was not the only one laughing, but this other someone was not laughing because of a whimsical fantasy that couldn't come true, but because the plan was working. 

*** 

Dumbledore mopped his brow with his robe's sleeve. The humidity had soared after Malik left. He was half expecting the beautiful red sunrise to convert to a blue one with water. 

Again he heard a noise coming from the woods. This time who ever it was made no pretension of silence. _All three in one morning,_ Dumbledore thought. _Odd._

"Hello... You're Professor Dumbledore, right?" Yugi asked scrambling over a fallen tree. 

"Yes, camping trip," Dumbledore said, sticking to the same story, in case they were compared. 

"Having any fun?" Yugi asked politely. 

"Moderately earlier, before this muck set in," Dumbledore said, waving his hands in the air. He could swear he felt some water. 

"So you been up a long time then?" Yugi asked. 

"Yes, one of the joys of sleeping outdoors." 

"You must have been talked to Malik and Bakura then," Yugi told him, nodding slightly in satisfaction. 

"How did you deduce that?" 

"With this humidity Bakura wouldn't wash his hair unless he had a long time to blow dry it, and that would be a little pointless as there are no electrical sockets...unless he had something to hide. And I met Malik earlier when going out. _He_ said that he had been saying goodbye to the gnomes. I know he detested those little buggers. Since I found no pools of blood, no bodies, and none of them were traumatized when I was walking in the garden thinking, he lied." 

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow about Yugi's description of what would have happened had Malik said a farewell. This boy had been living under the same roof with the other boy for over a week so he supposed he knew him better then Dumbledore, still _pools of blood_? "Ermm, Yes, they both talked to me briefly," he confirmed. "What were you thinking about by the way?" 

"Changes." Yugi sighed. "I know everything must change, but..." He broke of to sigh again. "Sometimes changes aren't for the best. So far we've been lucky, but it gonna run out sometime." Yugi looked into the emerald woods. "Sorry," he apologized after a minute. 

"Don't apologize for speaking your mind," Dumbledore reprimanded gently. 

"Gotcha." 

Dumbledore felt a drop of liquid fall onto his wrist. 

"Better get going," Yugi said, already leaping over the rotting tree. "See you at school!" 

Dumbledore smiled. _Ahh, the agility of youth._ About a minute later Dumbledore could of used some speed. He had forgotten all about the fire. 

Despite his efforts to save it, the rain had put it out.   
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Stella: If it's a little choppy, it's 'cause around the middle of conversation of Dumbledore and Malik's was when the milk came into to _play_. 

**_Since the search here on ff.net seems to be down and new fics are being posted and such, we have decide to take matters into are own hands. If you know of any HP/YGO crossover fics that have been updated in last month please review and tell us the name. A list will be complied and posted in our bio. Thank You_**

Wind: Next update? *_shrugs_* 


	22. Ch 22: Memory

Stella: Yes, this one is _short_. Sorry, but things are a more than a little busy. But somewhere after August 16, updates will be hopefully more regular. 

Wind: If the Japanese class doesn't take up to much time...   


Review Responses: 

Raven Scorne: Nope, the fire went out. And playing with _that_ fire would _not_ be a good idea. 

AG the master: You'll see sometime. 

Yami's-Girl: Yep, reviews are great. School will start sometime, just not real soon. 

YAMI CHIP: *_sighs_* 

Lyn/Lin: Thanks for all of the reviews! It's helpful to know what someone might think after they finished a chapter. It might be yoai, but it's unlikely. 

RBMIfan: Thank you! 

Cettie-girl: Yep, to all. 

DrkYami09: Thanks. 

Mistress of Ice: Yes, bothers can be annoying 

gimeGohan: Thanks! 

gala: Thanks. 

Skyla Doragono: All count. 

Cat-chan: Will do. 

summer psycho: 'Kay. 

Behold the Void: *_sighs very happily_* That was your best review for this so far! Thank you! 

Zidane: I think it's safe to say the station will be next chapter. 

Windswift: It's okay, that wasn't really an important part. 

fina, DHASN, Sarah, and Cherry: Thanks!!! 

Disclaimer: Nope, I still don't own Yu-gi-oh or Harry Potter.   


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Chapter Twenty-two: Memory 

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Yugi growled at his reflection in the mirror, and messed with his hair again. 

"Give it up," Malik said, looking up from packing his three chests. "It's not going to work." 

Yugi muttered a few choice words. Harry could understand Yugi's distress. It seemed that he had been outside when it had begun to rain. Now normally this would not be a problem, but Yugi had already done his hair and the gel and the excess hair spray he had slathered on had made his hair a mess of snarls, tangles, and goo. The mirror had not helped, as Ron had finally removed a pair of old socks for behind it that had kept it quiet; now free of the blockage, it had a running commentary on Yugi's state of dress. 

Yugi was having a few wistful thoughts of having Yami emerge for his mainly dormant state to challenge it to a Shadow Game. 

"Now if you had kept it short, like Ron's, you wouldn't have this type of problem," it said, trying to consul him, and failing miserably. The female sounding voice on grated on Yugi's nerves. 

"How long of a memory span does this hunk of glass have?" Yugi asked Harry. 

"Not a very long one, it forgets all but names every twenty minutes or so," Harry said. 

"Drat, it won't remember any lessons I teach it then," Yugi said, looking at the mirror meaningfully, hoping for at least a little reprieve. 

"No need to get all huffy about it," the mirror said, sounding a bit huffy itself. "I know when to take a hint." The mirror lost its slight blue tinge around the edges. 

"That means it stopped watching us so it's sulking," Harry informed the others. 

"Good," Yugi said vengefully, and stuck out his tongue at it. 

"Yugi," Ryou said from his bed were he was reading, again, "aren't you acting just a tad immature?" 

"Shut up," Yugi snapped. 

Before Ryou could respond, if he had wanted to, there was a tapping on the door. 

"It's open," Harry called. 

"Shower's free," Mr. Weasley said, stepping into the room. "Oh and here, Ryou." He held up the Ring and tossed it to him, while Malik and Yugi stared. 

Harry not noticing the looks his white haired friend was receiving grabbed his towel and comb. Mr. Weasley let him past. 

"Umm, Ryou, you might want to pack as we'll be departing for the train station in twenty minutes or so," Mr. Weasley advised looking Ryou empty trunk and suitcases. 

"Don't worry, I pack fast." Ryou did, however, get up and begin to drop a pile of his shirts in. 

Mr. Weasley, still looking doubtful, nodded and left. 

Yugi gently closed the door all the way, and then turned to face Ryou. "Okay, now tell," he commanded. 

Ryou sighed. He had half expected this. "I went for a walk last night, met him, we talked for a bit, I decide that wanted to think without its influence, and gave it to him for bit, not much more to tell." 

Malik looked slightly unconvinced, but since Yugi nodded, he held his piece. 

As Ryou finished his whirlwind packing, and was latching his truck shut, he happened to glance up and see a poster on what had been Bill's side of the room. The poster itself was a college of _many_ different pictures of sites of Ancient Egyptian sites. But what Ryou saw and felt briefly, in flashes of at least a dozen different scenes all in the space of less than four seconds, ws more than just a little picture. Eyes wide, he dropped on to his bed. 

"What is it?" asked Yugi, rushing over. 

"Images...from the past, I think," Ryou said, his tone dreamy and distracted. 

"The past...as in _then_ and not last week?" Malik asked, also concerned. 

"As in th--" Ryou stopped, as he felt across his bond with Yami Bakura a sudden interest. 

\\_The first time I saw the poster, I too saw something from my past. I've told you a couple of times that I don't remember too much either. Anyway, this last week or so I've been doing nearly every thing I could to remember it. It has been driving me nuts. I've even sat up at night and stared at the damn thing. I've been working so hard, and you get the...whatever! _\\ 

All the sudden, many things clicked in Ryou's mind. 

Malik and Yugi watched curiously as Ryou broke off in mid sentence, and cocked his head, as though listening. Then an expression of rage spread over his face. 

"This is all making sense now," Ryou darkly said. 

"What is?" Malik cautiously asked. 

//_Yes, what? The reason you got the memory?_// asked Yami Bakura. //_And it could be slightly easier to have this conversation if I'm out there too._// 

"Sure, can come out all you want," Ryou said, his voice dangerously calm. 

Malik figuring that Yami Bakura would take a physical form, pulled one of his trunks in front of the door, to block entry. 

"So now what making sense?" prompted Yugi 

"Oh, just why I've been acting off key," Ryou bitterly, but flippantly said. 

"Umm, why?" asked Malik, biting his lip. 

"He," Ryou said, pointing at his yami, "has been leaking emotions and such. He also has been taking control of my body at night. I think I've had no more than an hour of sleep a night since I got here." 

"Uhh," Yami Bakura said, "I...umm...err...well...yeah, I guess that wasn't the best move, but I only--" 

"But nothing," Ryou interrupted. "The way you're emotions were spilling over could have wrecked everything." 

"I--" 

Ryou glared at him, and then lost his temper. 

He punched his yami in the stomach, pulling up on the chest Malik had placed there and stormed out the door. Behind him into the shocked silence, the chest fell back down with a heavy clunk, back into its original position. 

"Ow, that hurt," Yami Bakura calmly said. 

Malik was choking slightly. Finally he managed to regain his voice. "Was that...Ryou?" 

"Yeah," Yami Bakura said, still clutching his stomach, wincing. "He has a temper and he can hit. Hard." 

"Um..." Yugi decide maybe it would not be a good idea to ask. 

"I have got to remember when he's like this not say anything," Yami Bakura continued. 

"You mean something like this has happened before?" Malik asked. 

"Yeah, twice. The worst time was when I accidentally got one of his books wet. Once he had finished hovering over it with a hair dryer, he came after me. I managed to retreat to my soul room, but then he broke in. After he had finished beating me up in there, I had to come back into the physical world to recover...but Ryou had expected that." Yami Bakura sighed. "When he finished hurting me and had quenched his thirst for revenge, he made me help him clean the blood out of the carpets." 

Malik gulped slightly. 

"And the only reason I'm telling you this is because if he sees one hair of me or maybe even you until after he's calmed some, we might have to make up some _very_ odd explanations. He just needs some time to sulk like a normal teen, then he'll come back and apologize to you two." 

Yugi, eyebrows still raised, nodded. 

There was then a knock on the door. The knob rattled, and Malik quickly pulled away the trunk. 

Ron walked in. "That door needs to be replaced or something," he muttered. He noticed how 'Ryou' was doubled over his stomach. "What's wrong?" 

"Hungry," Yami Bakura lied quickly. 

"Too bad you won't get much to eat; we're leaving now, I came up to get the trunks while Harry helps Dad figure out how to pay the taxi." 

"Okay," Yami Bakura picked up the black backpack he and Ryou owned and the suitcase. 

The twins and Percy appeared to help carry the trunks down to the stairs and into the three waiting taxis, giving no chance for Yami Bakura to go back in. 

*** 

"Ryou's gonna kill me," whispered Yami Bakura, for at least the tenth time. 

He, Yugi, and Malik were all cramped into the backseat of one of the taxis, with Percy in the front. 

"We left him there. This is worse than awkward lies...how are we going to get out of this?" Yami Bakura covered his face with his hands. "He's gonna _kill_ me..." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Wind: Once again apologizes for the shortness of this, but Stella and I both agreed that was one of the best places to cut it off. 


	23. Ch 23: Of Cats and King's Cross

Stella: Sorry, going directly to the story. 

Disclaimer: Okay, not quite directly. Don't own HP or YGO.   


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Chapter Twenty-Three: Of Cats and King's Cross 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   


Ryou sighed, his temper was getting the better of him these days, but some how he couldn't really bring himself to care. He just needed to stop and think or else he would begin to act like Jounochi, not that Jou was not good, just a bit hot headed. 

The place he had chosen to run was a secluded spot near the pond, out of site of the house. Feeling as if the whole world was against him, he chucked rocks into the water taking a slight, malicious pleasure whenever one of the rocks he threw shattered on one of the stones that jutted out. However, there was only so long he could keep his resentment before he looked at the other side of the story... 

After a while, he decide that it might just be best to not mention this little incident; feeling a little more content he stood up and walked out of his hiding place, to go back in. He cursed the fact that his sense of time was not the most reliable, and hoped that only ten minutes had past and not the indeterminably amount of time it had seemed to be for him. As he reached the back door and found it locked, he feared that they had already departed. Mentally, he laughed at his suspicions, but his run towards the fount door spoke otherwise. Once he found that door also sealed, he wasted a few breaths cursing. Knowing that insulting the door would get him nowhere, he circled the house to see if there was an open window. 

And there was, perhaps a slip of the mind in the rush of packing, someone had left the living room window ajar. 

_Prefect,_ he thought, knowing that the wide window would be the easiest place in the house to penetrate. 

Ryou slowly creaked the window open to a width that he could fit through. Once into the Burrow, he idly wondered why they had left him behind. Then he knew why, they had mistaken his yami for _him_. But he decided it would be best to check. 

/_Are you going to the train station right now?_/ he asked, carefully to make sure his yami could hear him. 

//_Um...yes?_// Yami Bakura slowly and cautiously answered. 

/_How?_/ 

//_Er...a taxi?/_/ Yami Bakura suggested, almost timidly...almost. 

/_Thank you_,/ Ryou calmly and politely said. 

No answer came, not that Ryou had been really expecting one. He riffled through and found an old phonebook. Scanning the pages, raising his eyebrows occasionally at the ideas of what an item was supposed to do, penned in by Mr. Weasley. Finally he found what he had been looking for and called a taxi service, and made a request for a taxi to pick him up. Since it would take a while for the driver to arrive, Bakura went around the house making sure he or his yami had left nothing, and to shut the windows – he didn't want thieves to break into the house. 

When he looked at the clock and saw that the taxi would be there shortly, he grabbed the book that he had left in the bathroom and went out to wait, making sure to lock the door behind him. 

After he had sat on the stairs leading up to the house for fifteen minutes, occasionally glaring at the chickens to keep them at a distance, the car came. Ryou walked down the driveway, told the man were he wanted to go and paid the fare. 

After that he was silent the whole ride. 

*** 

"Well, here you are, King's Cross," The taxi driver announced. 

Percy turned in his seat. "That was quiet," he remarked. 

"Not much to say," Yami Bakura told him. 

Percy smiled and helped unload the luggage. Eight trunks in total had been squeezed into the taxi (four of which were Malik's) and Kenemu's empty cage, plus the bags that were squished on their laps. 

After grabbing three trolleys to carry the stuff in, they found Mr. Weasley. 

"We got here a little too early, I guess. The barriers not yet open." Mr. Weasley ruefully grinned. 

"That's fine," Yami Bakura said, taking his or Ryou's backpack off and sitting on one of the stations benches. Yugi and Malik sat beside him while the others had settled down a distance away because of the lack of seats near by. Yami Bakura murmured something about Ryou having more time to get there. 

"Why do you care about that?" Yugi asked hesitantly. 

Yami Bakura looked at him. "Hm... Let me think...maybe because he's my hikari and without him here some things might just be a little hard to explain. Such as why I don't remember half the conversations I've had." 

Yugi laughed a little in way of apology. 

"Besides," Yami Bakura continued, "he comes in handy sometimes." 

"Um," Malik said, " I'm afraid to ask--" 

"Then don't," Yami Bakura advised him bluntly. 

"But what for?" Malik said wincing. 

"A small, talking library of card info and someone to bounce ideas off of." 

"Oh." Yugi's brow furrowed. Bakura and his yami seemed to be not in such an odd context as before. Or perhaps this new bit of information just knotted it even more. 

"However," Yami Bakura seemed not to have noted the confusion of the others, "lately he's been acting a little bit more like when I first found him..." As he had been talking, his volume had dropped till by the end of the sentence he had been speaking almost under his breath. 

Yugi was able to recognize and recreate the last phrase, 'when I first found him'. An odd wording to say the least was the general impression Yami got, and Yugi had to concur. 

Yami Bakura then winced. "I've been rambling," he muttered. "If either of you say anything about this to Isis or someone like that, I'll claim I got drunk last night and that I'm hung over." 

Yugi and Malik looked over Yami Bakura's hunched shoulders. 

//_Wonder if he really is hung over,_// Yami Malik asked. //_It's almost scary seeing him like this._// 

_It's scary having you like this,_ Malik thought. Still... "Um, sure you're okay?" 

"Yes." Yami Bakura closed his eyes briefly. "He's here." 

Yugi knowing who 'he' was stood up. "Going to stretch my legs, maybe get something to eat," he called across to Mr. Weasley. 

Malik catching onto the plan said that he too needed to stretch. Yami Bakura fallowed suit. 

They rounded a corner, Yami Bakura in the lead, to bump into Ryou. 

Ryou glared. 

Yami Bakura winced a little, and then sought eye contact with his light. 

Yugi and Malik could only make out a little of the conversation. The few clues they got keying them into it was an occasional toss of hair, glare, head cocked as though listening, or raised eyebrow. Fortunately, no one was around to see this peculiar conversation. Final both Yami Bakura and Ryou nodded. Ryou made a small beckoning motion with his two of his fingers and Yami Bakura disappeared. 

Yugi looked at him and shook his head. Maybe it would by best not to try to fathom what Bakura and Yami Bakura were like to each other. 

Ryou walked back to wear Yugi, Malik, and his yami had been at first, his face stormy. Yugi decided that it might be for the best not to sit near him. 

"What's up with Ryou?" asked Ginny looking at Yugi with her beautiful, dark glittering eyes. 

"He's irritated about something," Yugi replied. 

"Ah." Ginny got up and walked across to wear Ryou sat. 

Yugi sighed. 

//_Not the best of moves,_//Yami said mentally. //_I think we had better go over there._// 

/_Yeah, between Ryou and Malik, Ginny might not remain sane._/ 

//_Something along those lines.._.// 

But before Yugi had made it halfway there, a shout rang out. 

"RON," Hermione yelled jogging over to them, "Harry!" She hugged Harry and then, briefly, Ron. "Let me go get my stuff, and then I'll come and sit over here," she ran back grabbed her trolley and pushed it quickly back. "Hello Yugi, Ryou -- I think it was, Malik." 

Each gave various degrees of greetings. 

"You haven't met Crookshanks, have you?" she asked rhetorically, already undoing the latch on his basket. 

"Her cat," Ron whispered to Ryou and Malik who had come over to see what the excitement was about. 

"Here he is," Hermione said lifting him out of the basket. 

Crookshanks was first petted by Ryou. After the first stroke, Crookshanks's hair was already up and he was hissing. Ryou quickly tried to remove his arm, but the orange cat struck. 

Ryou snatched away his bleeding arm, swearing. "What is that? Sekhet incarnated?!?!" 

"Who?" asked Jena. 

"A particularly bloodthirsty Ancient Egyptian goddess who has a lioness head." 

"Neat." 

Ryou glared at her digging through his backpack for the first aid kit. Much antibiotic and bandages were applied to his skin while Malik and Yugi tried to become acquainted with Crookshanks. 

Malik had the same attempted greeting as Ryou, but managed to escape it. Yugi got but a couple of growls. 

"You know," Yugi said, "all the sudden the other side of the platform seems nice. In fact," Yugi looked at the train. "I think claiming an early seat on the train is an excellent idea." 

"And you didn't even have blood drawn," Malik said, nursing the scathes he had received. 

"Discretion can be one of the better parts of valor," Yugi said blandly. 

"Which you never seem to lack," Malik grumbled. 

"Yep," Yugi chirped. 

Malik rolled his eyes, but he inched away from the cat. In his opinion, the better part of staying alive was to know when to feel. Not that the cat was any real threat to him, but he need more scars like he need another yami. 

Ryou sighed. Things never seemed to go right around this time of year. He ignored the fact that this was one of the better ones...until how his interpersonal relationships were considered. Being outside of a group gave one a sorry, self-pitying feeling. Even worse however was to be part of a group, but to feel like an excess wheel, with no one who he could really turn to, to confide in. He wouldn't trust his yami with anything other than common knowledge or something gravely important. If Yami Bakura took over and added something to try and dispel any doubts that he wasn't Ryou might let slip one of his confidence; it had happened before. 

_Still,_ he thought, his mind turning back to the present, _I wasn't joking when I said that cat cold be one of the war goddess incarnate. _They _have no reason to like me._ By the time he came out of his small revere, his autopilot had already carried him on to the steps of the train. With out too much though given to it, he boarded the train. 

However, Yugi who had walked before Ryou wasn't so casual. There was still a small chance to turn back, to tell them he had decided not to attend the school. He had a feeling that going to Hogwarts would bring its own set of problems...   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   
  
Stella: Sorry, things... interfered. Vacation, laughing at a love trianglish thing...and then realizing even indirectly you were involved, subtitled DVDs (now hating the dub), fights with Dad, no internet access, and wiped files. And an unwillingness to do the work. T_T   


**Review Responses:**

Pharoah's daughter: Am going to do now.   
  
BakaNeko-Chan: Now it's updated.   
  
silver swan1: Thank you.   
  
Dragona 2007: *grins* And then the find was down.   
  
Thu6666: Yup!   
  
C.M Aeris Queen of Insanity: IT WILL GET COMPLETED! EVEN IF IT TAKES TWO YEARS (which it might)!   
  
Blood Cat: That why it was cut of there.   
  
Isis Ishtar: Yes, I now know that, but thanks anyway. Isis is a fav here to.   
  
Arian Starswing:*snickers*   
  
Hikari no Purinsesu: It's that long?!   
  
Penterghast: Thank you.   
  
Subieko: A lot of thought is put into it. Ryou is the kid, Bakura is also used, as his name is Ryou Bakura. Yami Bakura means the spirit. Yes, Ryou was left behind.   
  
Cettie-girl: In Ryou's opinion, he was going mental.   
  
La Bella Yu-gi-oh: Glad to see someone does. The list was taken down because the search engine now works.   
  
Evergladelord: This is hard to write.   
  
DHASN: Yup!   
  
yesim@*@k@*m@liklover: -_-U Ya know, most people were lobbing to keep Ryou in story! That's why I put it in, for surprise. Um, Yugi was at ease?   
  
rogue solus: Thanks!   
  
Skyla Doragono: Not really as you saw.   
  
Shade Azuna: Ryou hasn't forgotten it yet.   
  
Yami's-Girl: 'Power to Ryou'?   
  
AG the master: I know it was.   
  
Yami's-Girl: There will be pairs. You'll see at least one by Halloween.   
  
Kirbie: It's okay. This took forever to be posted.   
  
Sarah: Really should have sooner.   
  
DrkYami: Hopeful we will start that again.   
  
Mistress of Ice: Ryou has his moments.   
  
YAMI CHIP: If the arms get hurt, updates come slower! *hides behind a shield*   
  
RBMIfan: Yes, it does. But by no means all. Isis and Dumbledore will meet again. After some time.   
  
Panda X. Bear: Oops. Are we going to be charged with murder? Seriously, however, hyper author in this cases goes and plays with friends.   
  
Erikahavikel: Little hint. Big part.   
  
Cerelia Ash: I don't think anyone was (excluding Wind).   
  
Lyn/Lin: Ryou's not evil. Just very tired.   
  
Curtis Zidane Ziraa: Well, now by the train.   
  
Windswift: Updated at last.   


**This fanfic will continue.**


	24. Ch 24: Of God Cards and Girls

Disclaimer: See last chapter.   


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Chapter Twenty-Four: Of God Cards and Girls 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Walking past the dark wooden doors, Malik randomly picked one. He rapped on the wood, checking for occupants, and as he had expected, none where there, probable because the train had only recently arrived at the platform. Stepping into the gray upholstered compartment, he threw his jacket on to the seat and leaned back out the sliding door, to motion Yugi and Bakura in. 

Yugi sat down next to Malik's discarded jacket and Bakura gingerly sat down his black backpack and flumped on to the seat opposite of Yugi. Malik slouched into his chosen seat, after moving his jacket. 

Yugi sighed. "Off we go. To a new adventure I suppose. New challenges--" 

"Yugi," Malik said, cutting him off, "I don't think this is going to be like a fairy tale were everything works out and all live happily every after. For one, this society seems to have its own troubles." 

"You didn't let me finish," Yugi said, before Malik could continue. "I was planning to say something about risks." 

"What you plan these little speeches?" Malik snapped. "Sorry," he quickly added. "Things are starting to get to me." He stopped for a second to collect his thoughts and give a little thought on how to phrase what he said next. "My little friend is acting...odd, to say the least." 

"How so?" Yugi asked. Yami Malik acting odd...that likely meant something serious was up. 

"Well, he's sounding a little sane. And yes, I know how that sounded." 

"A little sane?" queried Yugi. "Maybe his just turning over a new leaf like Bakura's." 

"Actually," Ryou spoke up, "he sorta did act ni...well, I mean not always, and certainly not _really_ before Shadi and Isis combined forces and told him act nicer or else--" He noticed the clueless looks. "Um, none of you were there, it was after he had returned from the Shadow Realm for only the he knows how many time. They found him and practically shoved him against the wall and threatened to send him to Anibus, saying --and I'm quoting-- "a place were not even a god can truly escape from". Anyway, where was I?" 

"Saying something with a lot of backtracking in it, but it was about your spirit," Malik said after a minute. 

"Erm, that though...um...never mind..." Ryou finished after a second. There was no real need to tell them _that_. 

"Alllrighttyy then," Malik said. "How about we go back to the original subject." 

"You mean all that new insert thing here talk? I thought you disliked that," Yugi teased. 

Ryou jumped back in before Malik could start arguing. "The risks are something that definitely bears thinking about. I've read a little bit more than either of you have--" 

"That's because neither of us thinks of a two hundred page novel as a bed time story," Malik muttered. 

"--And it seems that the ways you can get injured and killed are uncountable." 

"Crossing a busy street or playing a certain card game can be dangerous," Yugi said. He held up his open hands to stop Bakura from interrupting him. "It's not that I'm saying this magic isn't dangerous, only that there is little gain without risk." 

Ryou stared at him and nodded after a second, picking at the dark gray threads of the seat. His expression absent, a sign that he was talking with his darker side. 

Yugi sighed lightly, who knew when those two would finish. 

"Speaking of a certain card game," Malik said quietly, "I'm of the opinion we shouldn't really tell any one about any of that stuff." 

"I agree," Yugi softly replied. "The smaller amount of people who know, the less attempts on the Puzzle, its spirit, and me." 

Malik flashed a quick, half smile at him. "Glad you aren't saying the truth should always be spoke or something equal ridiculously." 

Yugi smiled wryly. "Bakura," he said touching his shoulder. It wouldn't do for him and Malik to have agreed on something only to have Ryou accidentally say a word or to wrong. 

"What?" 

"Malik and I think the less said about the Egyptian topics, the better." 

"Good." Ryou looked out the window and sighed sadly. 

"Cheer up," Yugi said, "We're about to begin training to be wizards." 

Ryou grinned at that. "I doubt any of them back home would believe that this we included Malik." 

Yugi nodded. And it could be a while 'til they found out because although they were sharing Kenemu, Malik would use it most to mail his sister. Which reminded him... "How's Rashid?" 

Malik's mood took a turn for the worse. "Isis decided after Battle City that he needed to grow backbone." 

"Malik," Yugi said, his tone that of a friend telling one something that was like true, but not what the other wanted to hear, "I can't blame her, he could have died, or if he had stood up to you he might have prevented a lot. It's a good idea." 

"Says you," grumped Malik. "I won't be able to see him 'til summer vacation." 

"Well, at least no one here will see his face and begin to mummer about the hieroglyphs," Yugi said, trying to console him. 

Malik rolled his eyes. "Yeah, now instead of that I can focus my worry on next time I take of my shirt. What a comfort." Malik made a sound of disgust. "Rashid doesn't really care all that much about what other people think of him." 

_With exceptions,_ Yugi thought. _Rashid would not act subservient to them if he was didn't care._ Yugi decided however, as enlightening as that thought might be, it would not be the best to mention to Malik. The young Egyptian needed to find that out on his own. 

"Where did Isis send him to?" asked Bakura. He would not be truly surprised to find out Isis hadn't told him. Ryou consider the likelihood of Rashid walking in then, and decide it was unlikely. 

"Oh, to work with some archeologists." Malik shrugged, seemingly unconcerned but Yugi could see past that; Malik sorely missed his right arm. 

"Which site?" asked Ryou, curiously. 

"Dahsur, looking for a tomb of a twelfth dynasty princess." 

"Ah." 

"Is this train ever going to move?" muttered Malik. 

"We did get here forty minutes early," Yugi said, trying to be fair. 

"Hmp." 

Yugi sighed. Ryou was staring out the window, once again lost in someone's thoughts. Malik was glaring at a stain on the fabric. Yugi feeling this as a very awkward moment, decided to ask one of the least offense questions to Malik. "Ryou," he said slowly, "what do you think of Ginny?" 

"Huh? What?" Ryou said, swiveling his head to face him, brows knitted. 

"What do you think of Ginny Weasley?" Yugi said even slower. 

"She's okay," Ryou said. 

"Just okay?" asked Yugi raising an eyebrow. 

"She's a nice girl." Ryou said looking out the window. "Naive, but nice." 

Yugi sighed. 

Malik rolled his eyes. 

Ryou sat, looking out the window, not giving anything away. 

Malik figured Ryou had given all the information he would. Now it was time to ask Yugi something and get the heat off of Ryou. "What about Anzu, Yugi?" 

"A-a-an-zu?" Yugi stuttered a little, blushing. "She's a friend." 

"Sssure," Malik said, skeptic. 

Yugi bit the inside of his cheek. As much as he liked Anzu, she liked someone else more. 

"Now that we've finished discussing women, and since I doubt you've had wine, Yugi, let's discuss cards. More specifically, the God cards." Malik said. The blush was confirmation enough for him. 

Yugi almost winced at that question. Malik and the God cards did not exactly inspire trust; in fact it was the opposite, fear. Of course, for the main part, that was Malik's intentions. 

Malik impatient, addressed Ryou. "What happened? Did he lose his cards?" 

"Hhuh? What?" Ryou took his eyes of the sight of the red brick wall of the platform. "Oh," he said remembering the question. "No, Yugi didn't." 

"So the God Cards are still in the same hands, none of them missing?" 

"Yeah, at least last time I'd checked," Yugi answered, seeing Malik's intention was likely good. 

"Okay, good." Malik nodded. 

Ryou sighed just a little. 

"What's wrong?" asked Yugi hoping to figure out what his friend was sad. 

"Just thinking," Ryou said softly. 

"About?" Yugi pressed. 

"How, well," Ryou paused. "I don't think this is ever going to end. I-i mean things do differ from then, but... the end result will likely be the same." Ryou took a deep breath. "Us dead or spirit's waiting for the next time the game revives." Ryou stood up. 

Both Yugi and Malik had to blink slightly. Both knew what Ryou meant, then meaning back in Egypt. 

"And he also thinks it to be so," Ryou nearly whispered. He headed for the door. 

Malik was the first to recover. "Ryou, don't storm off again," he said, his seriousness equaling Ryou's. 

"I'm not. I need to go to the bathroom!"   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   


Stella: Sorry, meant to have it up sooner. By the way, could you review?   


Review Responses: 

rogue solus: Well, with Malik and Bakura it's obviously, but Yugi also getting batted by the cat took a little steam out of the hypothesis. 

Kyren: Of course I'll update sooner. 

Comechatcha: Crookshanks doesn't like any of them. 

yesim@-flamesofeternaldarkness: About Yami Malik, does this hint at something? *_wince_* Not really supposed to be on either... 

Subieko: Yeah, but updates are going to start up regular again. 

Lyn/Lin: Somehow I think you would have wanted it up sooner. And I will update more! 

AG the master: There is going to be more than one pair! 

BakaNeko-Chan: Yeah, calm... 

Windswift: FF.net has some problems. Ryou will...well, you'll see. 

Sarah: That was one of the thinks Wind and I feared the most... 

Yami's-Girl: No idea. 

RBMIfan: Will do. 

Cettie-girl: Yep! Sekhmet wanted to bathe in blood practically a couple of times... 

Curtis Zidane Ziraa: Well, that didn't happen this chapter. 

YAMI CHIP: Yami Yugi shall have his time. 

C.M Aeris Queen of Insanity: Here, have some brown sugar. Need to keep all reviewers health.   
  
  
  
  



	25. Ch 25: Mirror Hate

Disclaimer: This is a fanfic. Care to take a guess?   


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Chapter Twenty-Five: Mirror Hate 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Hermione looked at Crookshanks and began to scold him. After a moment (and after the three new students had boarded the train) she stopped. "Do you think it's odd?" 

"What's odd?" asked Ron. 

"How Crookshanks behaved." Hermione stopped petting her cat, and then forced him back into his wicker basket. "He hissed and scratched them. Remember last time he had done something akin to it?" She didn't even wait for a guess. "Wormtail." 

"You think they're in league with Voldemort?" Harry asked incredulously. 

Hermione nodded. 

Ron almost laughed. "Hermione, none of them had any clue what You-Know-Who meant." 

"Still, it seems a little odd to me. How come they had only now been discovered?" 

"Hermione, it might just be that Crookshanks is being a cat, and not liking them for no reason. And why are we discussing this so close to your cousin?" Ron asked. 

Hermione glanced at Jena. She was still sitting on a bench reading her book. "When she's like this, only rain or an earthquake could disturb her." 

"Okay, if you say so..." Harry said doubtfully. 

"We need to get on to the train soon, right?" Hermione asked. 

"Yeah," Ron said, not really seeing where this would lead up to. 

"Good, she won't want to be disturbed for no reason. Watch. Jena!" she yelled. "Time to go!" 

Jena blinked, then shook her head. "What?" 

"Time to get on the train," Hermione yelled back. 

"Now? But I was on one of the best parts!" 

"Jena, you consider the whole book 'one of the best parts.' " 

"Fine." 

They boarded the train, and Harry wondered just a little. What Hermione had brought up was quite a valid (even if silly) idea. Voldemort likely had the resources to do that... 

A door opened in font of them and Ryou rushed by them angling towards the bathroom. 

Hermione shrugged slightly and despite or perhaps because of her earlier words, she went into the compartment the white haired boy had come out of. 

"Hello, Hermione," Yugi looked at her and then back to Malik. "No." 

"Hey," Malik said, and turned back to Yugi. "Something has him acting a little weird, and we'll just be looking out for him." 

"By looking in his backpack?" Yugi said, disgusted. 

"Yeah, unfortunately." Malik was already unzipping the backpack. "Oh, Jena, watch the door will you, sweetie?" 

Jena nodded. 

Hermione made a choking noise, but whether it was for Malik going though his friend's stuff or asking Jena to play look out, it was hard to tell. 

"Hmm, let see, a bundle of," Malik paused to unwrap it, "Incense, and," Malik pulled out a box. "Matches. His duel disk. No clue why he has six pairs of sunglasses. Three books about Egypt, two novels, and some other book, and some wizarding book. CD player with a lot of extra buttons, CDs and... DVDs? Okay, don't know what he's planning to play them on though." Malik pulled out around ten boxes, with three DVDs in each, in graceful letters spelling out the series name, 'Intertwined'. Malik piled them with the other items. "And..." Malik slowly brought out a sheathed knife, "This." He sighed. "Should have expected that," he whispered mostly to himself. 

Even Yugi was shocked a little at it. Sure, with the other Bakura, it was likely, but... Yami Yugi took over. 

"What else is in there?" he growled. Neither he nor his light liked it, but Malik was sorta right. It needed to be done. 

"Just this box," Malik opened the little wooden container. "It has a Change of Heart card and a figurine." He showed to him. It had a light coating of soot, turning what was white into a dingy gray. 

Yami sighed. "His sou-- special card and what he was in the Monster World game. No idea why it's looks like it was almost burnt..." 

"Um, he's coming out of the bathroom," Jena said softly. 

Malik blanched and began to hurriedly shove everything back in, hoping it would fall into a semblance of order. Zipping the backpack back up and throwing it close to where it had original lain, he slammed himself into a seat, right as Ryou came back in. Yami hurriedly let Yugi take over. 

"Sorry, got into an argument with a mirror. He thought my hair was to long. Blew off some steam. Hello, Hermione, Jena." Ryou nodded at each. 

"Hi," Jena said, seemingly completely unconcerned that she had been keeping watch for him less than a minute before. 

"Hello," said Hermione. "You must have worked hard on your English; none of you speak with any real accent." 

"If you mean drinking a potion..." Malik said. 

"Oh," Hermione flushed a little. "Um, sorry." 

"Ahh, it's okay," Yugi said. "Ryou's the only one of us who knows English naturally, and he doesn't have an accent because it's his native language." 

"Oh, so you lived in America for a while?" Hermione asked. 

"No, actually I lived here, in Britain until I was ten...and a...half..." Ryou sighed, and looked out the window. 

"Oh." 

The seven people sat in silence. Hermione and Jena reading, and Ron scaraming to do an essay he had forgotten all about. Ryou continued to stare out the window with Yugi and Malik casting worried looks at him every now and then and looking guilty at each other. While Harry sat there...watching everyone. 

*** 

Finally, the train began to move. After a time, the sweets trolley came and went. Everyone but Ryou ate quietly. Harry supposed it was the consciences in the room telling their various owners how impolite it was to go though someone's stuff. Harry checked the window, hoping to see a familiar landmark, but alas, it looked like the ride was going to seem like a dozen years. Then, as Harry was turning away, Ryou's chin slid of his hand, limp in sleep. 

Yugi sighed. "Well, he hasn't had much sleep in a while," he whispered. 

"He's been having nightmares still?" asked Ron, recalling the first night Yugi and Ryou had come the Burrow. 

"Nightmares?" Yugi sighed. The more he got to know Ryou, the more things came to light. "I don't know." 

"Oh." Harry also sighed. 

Malik snorted. "Don't worry to much about him. From what I've seen, Bakura can take care of himself. " 

"By the way," Hermione said, "I've been meaning to ask you something. Why do you call him Bakura when his first name is Ryou, and otherwise you're all on first name terms?" 

"Well, for me at least," Malik said, "It was the name he introduced himself by, and I had more important things on my mind when he stepped in front of my motorcycle." Malik nearly swore after he finished his piece. It wasn't as bad as some stuff he could have said, but it was close. 

"He stepped in front of your motorcycle..." Harry repeated slowly. "Man, I can see why you searched his backpack." Harry shook his head in disbelief. 

Hermione nodded at what Harry said. Jena stared at the sleeper with wide eyes. 

"What's a motorclcy?" asked Ron, out of the loop as he had never taken muggle studies. 

"Um, sort of a bike, but it runs on it's own." Ron, Harry knew, had a good idea of what a bike was as it had been one of Mr. Weasley's 'projects.' 

"What's so bad about that. As I see it, it's stupid, but the worst that could happen is you need to watch your self off," Ron said, still confused. 

"One of the likely scenarios is that you get killed doing that," Harry explained. 

It took Ron a moment to absorb this. "At least you have reasons to almost kill yourself, Harry." Evidently he need to have more to eat. Though Harry's adventures were known of, Ron didn't say something like that often. 

"Yeah," said Harry looking at Ryou. Ryou looked so peaceful there, snoozing. 

"You too, huh?" Yugi asked, feeling a tad reckless. 

"Yes," Harry answered. "But what I don't get is what you mean 'too'. Have you had to put your life on the line?" 

"Yes," Yugi said. Even after over a week of living under the same roof, he, Malik , and Bakura were still distrusted. It was understandable, but not preferable. By telling little bits of truth, he might be trusted at some point. And more to the point, he wanted to be trusted, badly. "The one that really sticks is when a friend and I when chained to an anchor that was sinking." 

Everyone but Bakura stared at him. 

"Waa, that must have been scare," Ron finally remarked. 

"Not really, I had been certain it would happen for a while before." 

"Di-did your friend make it out?" Harry asked hoping yes, but a very small part of him hoped no. He didn't want to be the only person who couldn't save a friend. 

"Yeah" Malik said before Yugi could speak. "In retrospect it's a little funny as both were practically falling over trying to save the other. 

Harry shook his head, at Malik's declaration, and his own sick want for Yugi to have failed. 

The compartment once more fell into silence. 

*** 

Eventually Ryou woke up, when dusk was less than an hour away, judging by the window. It wasn't as dramatic as the first time Harry had seen him wake up, thankful. 

He yawned a little. "How long have been asleep?" he asked after a second. 

"I don't know, only a while," Hermione said. She looked at her watch. "Crap! I need to be up in the prefect's compartment in ten. Jena, where is my set of robes?" 

"Right here," Jena said, bored, tossing her the black garments. 

"Thanks," Hermione half yelled, catching them as she sped out the door. 

Less than tow seconds later she was back in. "Too long a line for the bathroom," she explained. She slipped on her robe. She did an odd series of moments that once or twice had her retract one of her arms into her robes, and somehow the shirt Hermione had been wearing came out on of her sleeves. 

"See ya," she yelled. 

"That was odd," Ron said slowly. 

Harry nodded. 

"Is she normally like that?" Malik asked, staring at the door. 

"Not quite to that extent, no." Harry sighed. "But becoming a prefect has been a dream of her's since she first set eyes on this train. And the best student in the school, and Head Girl." 

"A bit of an overachiever," Malik commented. 

"Wonder why..." 

Ever one turned or swiveled to face Ryou had spoke for the first time since he had asked the time. 

"I have noticed," Ryou continued, staring out the window, his back to them, but his face palely reflected in the window, "That when someone studies that much, there is always a reason. Sometimes it can as simple as they find it interesting, but other times it can be something else. A drive to be the best, perchance; however, look behind that, perhaps it's parents expecting to much...or to little...or nothing," Ryou whispered the last two words. 

*** 

Hermione rushed along the train, straightening her prefect badge that she had pinned on earlier that morning, and running her hand through her hair. A couple of people who knew her looked at her oddly. When she reached the door to the compartment the prefects were using for their meeting, she took a moment to composer herself before she opened the door. 

"Ah, Hermione," said Simon Blackstoll, a prefect of Ravenclaw, and judging by the badge he wore, the new Head Boy. "That only leaves the new Hufflepuff prefect." 

As though to answer his probable unspoken question of where the prefect was, the dark wooden door slid open. 

"Sorry!" panted Susan Bones, trying to pin her badge on and sit down at once. 

Hermione scanned the other prefects. She recognized by sight, if not name ever one in the compartment. Each house had two prefects, one boy and one girl at least. Almost traditionally, for each year there was one prefect of each gender, occasionally more if it was merited. However, Hermione noticed something, while that pattern was prevalent with the prefects of the sixth and seventh year, there were only five new prefects unless she missed her guess. Hermione suppressed a groan. As she had half expected and entirely dreaded, Draco Malfoy was also a prefect. 

"Now to answer an earlier question," Simon began, "The reason why there has been quite a significant drop of new prefects is because the Ministry has decided to take a hand in it. Prefects are now for the most part are selected by going over the overall grades and choosing the best students. Hence Ravenclaw has two prefects while all the other houses only have one newbie." 

"The Head Boy and Head Girl are still selected by the staff though," added a Hufflepuff who was unusually bookish for her house whose name was Eleanor McCeff, and the Head Girl. 

Hermione swore she could have heard a whispered 'thankfully'. Hermione only listened with half an ear to what fallowed; she had long since memorized the list of the duties of a prefect. When she noticed that Simon and Eleanor were about to round things up she stopped fantasizing what would happen when she became Head Girl, and slid back to the present. 

"An other questions?" Simon asked for the third time. "All right then." 

"A couple more things," Eleanor said, picking up for Simon, "And those of you who weren't really listening earlier had better start," She seemed to glance at Hermione. "Two things. One is that we have three new students. They are all muggleborn and for some reason now are starting their training. Their names are--" 

"Ryou Bakura, Malik Ishtal and Yugi Motuo, right?" interrupted Hermione. 

Eleanor looked at her, a little flabbergasted. "How--" 

"I was sitting in the same compartment as them," Hermione said dryly. 

"So you've met them already?" asked the Head Girl. 

"Sorta," Hermione trailed of remembering parts of the conversation. She sighed slightly. 

The Head Girl shrugged. "So do you don't know much about them?' 

"Not really, no." 

"Okay then," the Head Girl conceded. "Dumbledore didn't give any pictures, he only said if you haven't seen that student before and he's very memorable, chances are that he's one of them." 

Hermione nodded vigorously at that. 

"So if you see some one who's to old to be a first year who looks a little lost, help them if possible. Next subject," said the Head Girl. "Dumbledore is planning (in conjunction with the Ministry from what I hear) a surprise for the students. We aren't supposed to know yet, so no going and telling your friends as soon as the meeting is over; they'll find out tonight." The Head Girl looked at everyone in the compartment, making eye contact with each. "There are some trips this year, international ones. We're not positive, but the first one might be to Mexico." 

Hermione was slightly indifferent to this. She figured it would be later that night, once Dumbledore had confirmed it, the shock would set in. Likely when she was trying to go to sleep too. 

Malfoy stood up. "If that's all, I'm going." 

Since no call was uttered, calling him back, he walked out of the compartment. 

"Oh just remembered something," said Hermione. 

"And would this have anything to do with the fact Malfoy gone?" asked one of the Slytherin prefects. 

Since the other prefect seemed to be able to see though her, to be frank, badly acted fake realization, Hermione leveled a glace at the other girl. 

"I don't like being called a mudblood," Hermione said softly. 

The compartment was silent, then, "I still say he bought his way into it," Hermione heard someone say. 

She looked around to see who could have said that. Quickly and methodically, she confirmed it had been _Slytherin_ prefect who had said that. 

The Slytherin noticed her glare. "You don't honestly think we should support that little git do you? We Slytherins rarely have that sense of nobility that seems to be inborn into you Gyrffindors." 

Hermione, confronted by that had to agree with the prefect. 

"Now that we've had our new world view of the day," Natalie said sardonically, "Will you explain what you know about the new students Hermione?" 

"Sure." Hermione told them all she knew, starting with how she had met them, the letter she got form Harry and Ron about an attempted mugging they had some how foiled it (Hermione still wanted to go over the details of that with Ron...), and what had happened in the compartment. 

A silence settled over the prefects. 

Finally the same Slytherin prefect said what everyone was thinking in variation or another, "Weird." 

"Maybe the Muggle Studies text books need to be updated, as that world seems to be more dangerous then we have been led to belive?" suggested one prefect. 

"I don't _think_ it will need to," Hermione said stressing the word as things could have really changed. Could have... 

"So, do you think we should pay close attention to them?" asked the Head Boy. 

"Yes," Hermione confirmed. 

*** 

After a time Hermione came back form her prefect meeting. The only bit of information of real relevance that they managed to get out of her was that Malfoy was a prefect. Ron grumbled about that quite a bit. 

Everyone went of their separate ways to get changed as according to Hermione they were less then twenty minutes away from arriving at the stop. 

Ron and Harry where changed the first. Jena soon came back, with Ginny following a full minute or more behind with her hair done up differently. Yugi came back in soon afterwards, and pulled out something out of the bag he had used for his robes --and later for his schoolbooks. Since Hermione had already changed, only Malik and Ryou had not returned. They did return, however, and the mood they came back in was quite a bit anger then the one they had left in. 

"The talking mirror," Malik said, sounding strange because his teeth were clenched together, "Decided that Bakura and I were in the wrong bathroom." 

"I'm going to brake every talking mirror I encounter," muttered Ryou. 

"Then grind them up into a powder," Malik suggested. 

"To knead that into the idiot who enchanted tem in the first place." 

"And cut of their head to display," added Malik. 

"Um, aren't you two overacting just a little?" interrupted Hermione. 

"No," said Malik. 

Hermione sighed, but before anyone could say more, Malik looked at Yugi, and the malice on is face vanished. Everyone else turned to look at him. 

Yugi had his robes, but also three of the little belts that he use on his shirts, two other belts were on his upper arms, and he wore the ones he always seemed to were as well, the ones o his wrists, neck, and the real belt that went round his waist. But that was not all... 

"Yugi," Malik said seriously, "Don't you think the black leather cloak might b over doing it just a tad? And when did you get it?" 

"While you two were arguing with the assistant. I like it." 

Ron and Ginny were still gaping. As they were wizards very little that was consider muggle clothing shocked them, but seeing these accessories with robes had caught them by surprise. 

Malik shook his head. He opened his mouth to say something, but the conductor announced they had arrived. 

"Let's go," said Hermione. 

Yugi made a move to pick up his bag. 

"Don't worry about it, what ever house you're sorted into, you'll find it there," Hermione told him. 

"Oh." 

"Bakura, didn't you hear what see said?" asked Malik. 

Ryou was shouldering his backpack. "I heard, but you must have seen why I like to keep this close when you went though it " 

Hermione gaped. How he knew she didn't know, but she did figure out that he was one of the most tolerant people she knew. 

*** 

"We can't get to the castle directly?" asked Yugi looking at the carriages that seemed to be pulled by nothing. 

"Yes," confirmed Hermione. 

"Then we need to get one of the carriages?" Yugi asked, looking for a free carriage, as he doubted that one could hold them all. 

"Maybe," said Hermione, "The first years usually are taken by boats..." 

"Look for Hagrid?" suggested Harry. "He the one who always takes them." 

Harry's suggestion was followed by a quick search for the half-giant. Due to his height was easily spotted, well...really, he spotted them first. 

"Ah, Yugi," Hagrid bellowed, "Bin keepin' an eye out fer yeh. Dumbledore said that there was 'nother older student... Marik Ishtal, I think. Dumbledore said yeh'd know whe was, been at the Burrow, or something like that." 

Yugi blinked, Hagrid's accent had been absent when he had spoke to them last. A guess Yugi had at that was because of the potion Hagrid had likely taken to speak Japanese had eased out his accent. 

"It's *Malik* Ishtal," said the blonde Egyptian, pushing between two more carriages. 

"Malik," Hagrid repeated. "Anyway, yeh t'ree are supposed ter come wi'h me." 

Understanding nods met the declaration. 

"Oh yeah," Hermione turned and scanned the crowd. "JENAAA!" 

Jena was looking closely at one of carriage, waving her hand were the horse would have been. At Hermione's call she looked up. With a look that plainly said 'Wha-at? Okay, I'm coming,' she trotted over. 

"Don't mess with magic you didn't understand," Hermione chided her. "My cousin," she explained to Hagrid, "A first year." 

Hagrid nodded and ushered her towards the boats. "First years this way," he shouted. 

Yugi, Malik, and Ryou got a boat to them selves, perhaps it had something to do with the fact even though Yugi was the size of a first year, Malik and Ryou were certainly not. 

After they had gotten in, to it (Yugi almost tipped it over by clambering in eagerly), but before the boat had started to move Malik muttered out of the corner of his mouth, "Remember, there's no such things as yamis, dark games, shadow realms, god cards, or Millennium Items." 

Yugi and Bakura (who, for now at least, seemed to be out of his dark mood) nodded. 

"Everyone here? Good, let's go," Hagrid said. 

The boats swiftly skimmed over the lake and the trio of Item bearers laid their eyes on Hogwarts for the first time. The setting sun was hitting water and the castle, bathing them in red radiance. It was the end of one era...and the beginning of another...   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Stella: I know, I know, late. *sighs* I have a Japanese quiz every Tuesday, got some new DVDs, and the plot got a major redo. A friend of mine helped quite a bit with that. 

Wind: *whispering* Stella's suffering from burnout.   
  


Review Responses:****

**Inu-Ice-Dragon, Dragona 2007, Kyren, beckboo, Firehedgehog,** and **TeeDee**: Thank You!!! 

**Curtis Zidane Ziraa**: Gaa, tell me about it. But now most of the groundwork has been set. 

**Lyn/Lin**: The problem will eventually appear. 

** BakaNeko-Chan**: This one long enough? 

** Yami's-Girl**: I've read the first two manga's of Inu Yasha. Pairings are secretes. 

** yesim@-flamesofeternaldarkness**: You forgot Lithto (sp?). *_laughs at the part about Malik's shirt_* We both happen to like Anzu...but not Tea. The dub messed up there as well. 

** YAMI CHIP**: *_sighs_* Who's gonna write this if the authors die? Yes, more Yami Yugi, but that's in the chapter after the next one. 

** Cettie-girl**: The barrier will come down, later. 

**AG the master**: There are going to be at least four other pairings. Bit better with chapter length? 

**Ice-Spirit Phoenix**: Happy late birthday. 

**DHASN**: life would be better if there were about four more hours in a day.   
  


Wind: Next chapter estimate: with in the next four weeks. Thank you to all those who review and put us on your favorite authors list. 

  
  



	26. Ch 26: Hat's Off

Stella: Just a couple of quick notes, in this chapter you might notice that some words are in italics all the time. That's because they're Japanese words and I finally had to deal with that fact when I put word _hai_ (Japanese for yes) in. Also I have read the fifth Harry Potter book, but very little of what's in there is here. This was begun before it came out, so it's an alternate fifth year. And yes, that means Sirius will have part in this!

Disclaimer: This is done for fun not profit, no money is being made. I don't own Yu-gi-oh or Harry Potter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter Twenty-Six: Hat's Off

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The three boys disembarked from the boat. The sun's dieing glory had faded into dusk. A great set of doors opened. Professor McGonagall stood there. 

"The students ter be Sort'd," Hagrid said.

"I shall take them for here," McGonagall said. "This way." She led them up a couple of flights of stairs. She then rattled off a speech, pausing in appropriate places. It was something about the four houses. Since all three of them had already managed to get to at least that far in _Hogwarts: A History_, not much attention was paid. She then told them to collect them selves and left the room. The professor soon returned, and led them into a huge hall in which the rest of the school waited.

In front of the High Table was a tattered black hat on a three-legged stool. Nothing happened until someone cleared his or her throat. 

The brim off the hat opened slowly. "Huh? Wha? Oh, sorting already? Okay.

_"I'm the Sorting Hat. _

_Um... _

_The Sorting Hat I am._

_Er..._

_Put me on and you shall see what house you will be._

_Gryffindor, Hufflepuff...Slytherin, or... um..."_

By now one could hear the whispers among the students. 

_"Or Gryffindor... waitmetionedthat... um..._

_Which of the four Houses will you be?"_

The whispering among the students hushed and all stared. 

McGonagall stood shocked, the scroll of names held loosely half unrolled in her hands. 

"Are you going to stand there all day?" asked the hat crassly.

With a startled movement off her arm, she began to read names off the list. It didn't take long for the little odd trio to figure out that the names were being called in alphabetical order, and as Awor, Dawn passed took off the hat after it had called her house (Gryffindor) and positioned it on the stool for Beson, Wilson, it was agreed upon, though unvoiced, that they were going to likely be after this set of children. Finally after Zannt, Kent, Dumbledore stood. 

"As many of you have noticed, three have not been sorted. They have only recently been introduced to their magical powers. They have been skipped up to the Fifth Year as their powers are quite strong." Dumbledore sat back down and nodded gravely at McGonagall.

She read off the first name. "Bakura, Ryou."

With a look of tredeption, Ryou resolutely walked into full sight off the school, and put the battered hat on.

"Huh? What, more?" said a voice above his head, loudly as though it was almost shouting in his ear.

"Yes, more," a voice that sound like the Headmaster's said faintly, as though it was in the next room.

The hat made a noise of disgust and set about its task. It began to try to see what he was thinking, but Ryou's mental barriers had been constructed to hold up under Yami Bakura's pressure, and the Hat had much trouble getting even a little past them; it was that also trying to penetrate the yami's as well. However, what it managed to pull out of each mind was not the full picture.

"DUMBLEDORE!" it wailed. "Why did you put twins under here? One of them'll kamikaze for someone he's only known for less than a week, and the other _is_ the reason he does that! Gryffindor for the suicidal one and Slytherin for the one who's more sly than the founder!"

Ryou slowly took off the hat. He looked at Dumbledore, putting on his best clueless expression.

Dumbledore took a moment to recover. He looked hard at the boy. No doubt that he was sneaky, but most teenagers were. Kamikazing suggested Gryffindor. He glanced over to the table of the Lion. Harry seemed slightly concerned, as did his friends, except for Ginny Weasley, the expression she had clearly told Dumbledore that he got along with Gryffindors. He was a muggleborn so it would be doubtful that the Slytherins would feel the same.

"Gryffindor," Dumbledore declared.

Ryou walked to the long table, and sat, trying not to shrink under all the attention. 

"Ishtal, Malik," McGonagall called.

Malik strode to the stool, picked up the discarded hat, and put it on. 

"DUMBLEDOOORE!" it yelled. "Not twins again!"

It had gained some experience with Ryou's barrier so Malik wasn't too much of a problem. Except for the fact it was again sorting through two minds at once.

"YOU'RE OFF YOUR ROKCER!" it screeched. "One of them is insane! And the oth--"

McGonagall had enough of the hat. It was absolutely not going to be productive. "Gryffindor," she judged. He was rather a nice boy from what she remembered of the day at Daigon Alley. "Mutou, Yugi," she said, and beckoned him over to put on the hat.

Yugi was nervous of what the hat would say, and made no try at disguising it, but he came anyway. He put on the hat.

"ALBUS GEFFORY DUMBLEDORE! WHY IS IT THAT YOU THINK TWINS SHOULD BE SORTED TOGETHR NOW?!?! NOT SO DIFFENT AS THE OTHER TWO, GRYFFINDOR, BUT YOU HAD _DAMN_--"

McGonagall took the Hat off of Yugi's head and used a Silencing Charm on it. She pointed to Gryffindor.

Yugi nodded and took a seat beside Malik.

Dumbledore stood. "Welcome to Hogwarts. This years Sorting has been more eventful than most--"

"YEAH," a student in Ravenclaw shouted, "THE HAT'S OFF ITS ROCKER!"

"Which could be partly do to it's suspected reading of romance novels," Dumbledore continued.

People snickered a little at that.

"I have little to say now, expect for _'tae_'."

Food appeared on the tables.

***

Yugi had great fun stuffing him self on hamburgers, while Malik had four bowls of salad, and Ryou picked at the salmon he took and was responsible for eating a whole basket of cream puffs. Yugi and Malik spent some time talking to other students and getting names straight. Ron could be heard saying loudly how much he liked Hogwarts' cooking. After the feast was over, Hermione and the other Gryffindor prefects led them to Gryffindor tower. She pointed out the dormitories, and collapsed on to a chair. Slowly most students filtered to their beds.

Jena had always been a bit of night person, and her first night at Hogwarts. She had rushed up to the first year girl's dormitory, and had been disappointed to find it rather mundane dormitories. Once she had explored the Gryffindor common room thoroughly, she was about to venture out in to the labyrinth like corridors of Hogwarts.

"Jena," called Hermione, "Students are not to leave the common room after ten." She turned back to Yugi and Malik.

Harry was telling them an abbreviated version of what had happened to him in his first year at Hogwarts. Ron had managed to badger him enough to tell it; Harry also had a full stomach of decent food, not the burnt toast that Percy cooked.

Jena had heard the story from Hermione over a dozen times. She suspected that Hermi had meant to scare her with it, but had done the opposite. Bored and at a lost of what to do, her eyes fell on Ryou. Ryou, she remembered, liked to read some, perhaps she could strike up a conversation.

"Hey," she said, and stepped into the path of the wind. Ryou must have opened a window. 

"Hello."

Jena, caught by something in his voice, looked at him with curiosity. His face was blank and his eyes dark, he had not even turned to look at her when he had been greeted, but had continued to stare into the darkness of the outside. She ran a glance over the grounds. Though the moon had risen, not much light penetrated through the net of clouds that skittered across the sky. The ground's and especially the forest beyond had a foreboding. Her eyes flickered to a minute movement at the edge of the dark trees. A second later in the distance there was quite, but hair-raising cry. Jena jumped.

Ryou hadn't even twitched. "It was a rabbit dieing," Ryou whispered.

Jena continued to look at the dark, unnerved.

"Afraid of the dark?" asked Ryou. His voice was not mocking or amused nor serious, only inquisitive.

"Sort of. What about you?" Jena said quickly, hoping he was sympathetic of her answer, or to busy saying that he wasn't afraid not to make fun of her, but somehow she doubted he would tease her.

Ryou remained mute for a minute. "When I was young," he began, "No. I loved it. It cloaked me; it was warm and comforting, or cool and answering. I grew older. The dark was still a cloak, one that hid and masked, and occasionally comforted. But closeness had been lost. Then I changed again. I hated it and resented it, and above all feared it. But at some point... rare forgotten like a dream moments, I was fascinated by it." Ryou had at some point stopped talking of the dark, and began think about the Japanese word for dark: _yami_. It also occurred to him that he should start referring to it as something other than 'it' and 'the dark'. Gods knew that the girl would have an imagination and curiosity as well. "The night was stronger than me and continued to return... These last few months have been difficult, but rewarding. A slight understanding seems to have been reached and I have learned to accept," Ryou's voiced dropped and Jena had to strain her ears to hear what he said next, "As there's a chance that I might become," Ryou said a word that Jena did not know but whatever it was it sounded foreign.

Jena looked at him, wishing to press for details, but knowing better, left the corner of the common room that was in darkness. He had not made fun of her, and had there been a decent light to read by, she would have stayed.

Malik was the first to notice her. "So, how was he?" he asked.

"Philosophical," she answered after a moment, " Philosophical, he was talking about darkness."

Malik caught Yugi's eyes and the exchanged a look. "Was he talking odd even for him?" Malik asked slowly.

"Sorta... He wasn't too coherent about what he meant. Darkness is a word he uses to refer to something he can't bear to call by it's real name, right? Like the You-Know-Who and Voldemort."

"Don't say that name!" Ron yelped.

"Why not?" she asked Ron, and then to Malik, "What's the real thing?"

Malik figured she would not stop asking until he answered. _She is too curious for her own good, _he thought. He quickly came up with a word that fulfilled what he believed to be the requirements. "It's a word he'll use for death. I'm going to go talk to him." He and Yugi exchanged another glance.

_Death…_ Jena pondered as she repeated 'Voldemort' over and over again out loud to tease Ron.

***

"Heard you've been scaring young girls, again." Malik was fairly certain it was Bakura who was in control, but with those two it was hard to tell...

"Tell me Malik," he said slowly, "Do you look forward to your birthday? The anniversary of him?"

Malik was taken aback, but answered readily. "No, of course not. Wha--" He remembered that Isis had said once that Ryou's birthday was on September second. "At least I don't go scaring little girls."

"Malik, Jena is not a little girl. You can gain quite a bit of knowledge of someone's maturity by what they read. She likely knew about 'the birds and the bees' long before her parents told her."

"Mhh," Malik perceived that there would be no convincing him of much. "I'm gonna go to bed now and I suggest that you do the same soon."

"Perhaps."

Malik walked away, doing his best not to turn around and knock him out to force him to get some rest.

***

Late, late that night only Ryou could be found in the common room. A gust after midnight had come through the window and put out all the candles. Still sitting in the same chair in the dark was Ryou...but one detail had changed about him. He was sobbing softly.

Another shape formed in the shadows of the room. Yami Bakura emerged. "They're worried about you," he said as though nothing was wrong.

"So?" asked Ryou, sounding like a normal teenager.

"I know what happened, _hikari._"

"But you weren't there."

"You were only there for the last breath of one."

"They were my sister and mother."

"And I can feel your heartache. However, time has passed. What happened is now unchangeable."

"I know."

A chuckle. "And yet your grief lingers."

"_Hai_."

"And understandable too."

Ryou soft sobbing intensified, and he curled up into a protective ball.

Yami Bakura laid a hand on Ryou's shoulder.

Ryou touched his cheek to it. The flow of tears slowed and then stopped.

"I'll take over tomorrow, if you wish."

"Thank you."

Yami Bakura used his hand to haul the boy up physical. "He was right, you need to get some sleep."

"I'm not sleepy."

"Like hell you are."

"I'm not."

Yami Bakura looked his host straight in the eye. Ryou's eyes were their natural color for once. Yami Bakura smiled. The hand he had used to lift child let go, with one finally comforting squeeze. "Rest." With the now free hand, he knocked his lighter half out swiftly and nearly painlessly. Using a fireman's lift, he picked him up. Taking the stairs two by two, he went up the carpeted stairs to the boy's rooms. Glowing letters named which year each dormitory room held. Going into the fifth year's, on the free bed he put Ryou unceremoniously, but gently on. Running down the stairs, he got their black backpack. On the way back up he paused, and fished out the knife they shared. Knife in hand, and the backpack over a shoulder, he continued back up to his light. He set the bag down under the bed. The knife he slid into a desk and unpacked the Ryou's textbooks to hide it. After all, with that family...

He glanced at the clock, at least four more hours til anybody got up. There was little to do but unpack to relive his boredom. If was some other time of the year he might have gone exploring, but not now... He need the body, and in a way, to cover for him, his host. He hated how there was nothing to do on a night when he wanted his host to have a proper sleep, in which the body had not been tramping around town half the night. 'Sides this way Ryou wouldn't find the knife too soon. He set about unpacking and folding, not waking any of the students, after all he had been the King of Thieves.

***

When Malik woke up in the morning, the first thing he noticed was that he was in a strange bed. He had barely gotten used to the one at the Burrow. The one at his new school however was a great deal softer. He began to wriggle deeper into the covers, and then remembered it was a Monday, which meant classes. _Oh, joy._

He stuck an arm out intent on getting out, but as he felt the difference of temperature he decided that slowly adjusting would be best. Under the covers it felt like he was still in Egypt, but outside of them it felt like artic...well, felt like. Malik decide to look if he had time to slowly get out of bed. He turned over.

Whether by oversight, or deliberate torture, the clock was, though near, impossible to read. It was above his bed. He glance at part of the dorm that somebody had decide to unpack all his stuff. Faintly his sleep-fogged brain identified it as Ryou's stuff. Ryou had gotten to bed, a lump in the covers told, but how late it was when he finally fell over was hard to say.

//_Mornin_'// yawned a sleepy mental voice. //_What's planed for breakfast_?//

Malik wished that a certain someone else would oversleep. /_Nothing that I'm gonna let you have_./

//_Why not? Do you still have a grudge against me?_//

/_Would you_?/

//_Of course I wouldn't have one against myself_!// Yami Malik replied cheerfully.

/_…_/

//_And I'm you! Why can't you except that_?//

Yami Malik had struck a chord. Malik did not want to think about Yami Malik's origin. Even if in someway they were alike, they were as different as light and day.

//_The titles '_yami_' and _'hikari'_ would suggest that_.//

Malik stayed quite hoping that the cold shoulder would deter the other.

//_Even Bakura and the other him can get along a bit. I'm part of you more than the other two _yamis_ are to their _hikaris_. You would think we would be the closest,_// Yami Malik pondered, not criticized. 

Malik tried not let his yami get to him, but it was already to late. The other him had tried to kill many people whom if Malik had met under other circumstances, he could have been on good terms with, if not friends. Malik himself had tried to hurt or kill many of them first too. His past, though he believed it not to be as bad as what those who had one that spanned back over thousands of years, was more memorable, something that could pop up and hit him any time...

Disliking the harsh thoughts, he shed the blankets and decided to take a shower. Changed and warmer, he found the other boys in the dormitory staring the day. 

"What books should I put in here?" Yugi asked motioning to his bag.

"You don't need any for now," Harry said, "Schedules are handed out on the first day and the first classes are delayed for thirty minutes."

"'Kay."

"Hey, Harry," said one of the boy's, Seamus Finnigan was the name that Malik's mind connected to the face. "Did you see what I saw last night?"

"Um, no," Harry replied, puzzled.

"No new teacher at the head table! And even better," Dean said, with much glee, "_No Snape_!" 

"Woah! Are you joking?" exclaimed Ron.

"Snape's a loathed professor," one boy, Dean, explained.

"Ah." Malik nodded.

//_It's going to take a while for us to get used to this school_.//

Malik devoutly wished that he would never get used to his damned yami.

//_Yep, I'm damned_!// the dreaded one cheerfully replied.

Maybe I'll kill myself…However, Malik could not figure out if he meant the yami or himself was the aim. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Stella: Yet another chapter done. Next chapter? No clue.

**Review Responses:**

**Blood Aura, Mistress of Ice,** and **AG the master:** Thank you.

** Cettie-girl**: *_grins_* Yeah, telling someone's gender can be hard every now and then

**Curtis Zidane Ziraa:** Well, you saw the note at the start of the chapter. 

**C.M Aeris Queen of Insanity**: Yeah. ^_^

** YAMI CHIP**: And do you have the plot. *_smirks*_ Sorry no Yami Yugi in this chapter. Next one!

**Lyn/Lin**: I love feeling loved!  
   
**13**: Ryou has some reasons. But he has been keeping some of his true personality to himself.

**Sarah**: I'm starting to wonder what'll do when this fic is over. I'm going to finish it. 

**yesim@-flamesofeternaldarkness:** *_smiles_* We have yet to find one real Anzu basher. Yeah, Harry is in need of something. Actually, it was Yami who got the cloak. We don't even bother with the dub much now.

**Lily of the Shadow:** Yeah, been a while getting it there, but time will start to pass swifter soon

**BakaNeko-Chan**: Longish one here too. Yeah, taking Japanese class. Have an exam tomorrow. Probably should be studying…


	27. Ch 27: Reasonable

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-gi-oh or Harry Potter, nor does Wind. This is done for fun.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Reasonable

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"What about Ryou?" asked Yugi as they where to leave the common room to go to the Great Hall to have breakfast.

"Wake him up," suggested Dean.

"I wouldn't," Malik said before anyone had moved. "He was up real late last night."

"Maybe we should go down to breakfast now and come back for him later?" Ron put his idea forth tentatively. 

"But what if he wakes up before that?" asked Harry.

In the end they decide to leave him note saying they would be back later, and saying don't go wandering, as there were classes later.

***

Yami Bakura was sitting in part of his soul room, bored out of his mind, as usual. It was times like this that made him wish that his soul were more like the maze that Yami Yugi had. Games were fine, and very good if he won at them, but his real talent was in mazes. 

He frowned slightly. He remembered what had happened when he first had used the wand. As far as he could remember, he had never been to it. That did leave the possibility that it was a forgotten memory. 

He sighed. Once, Ryou had come back to the apartment with his lip trembling; Yami Bakura had stayed in physical from, as school was usual spent in the boring soul room (one tended to get bored of the same place after the first thousand years). He had not really been all that concerned, but it had been less than a week since Shadi and Isis had threatened him. So he had asked what was wrong. He could remember that day (maybe due to the fact the he didn't have more two years worth of real memory, even what had happened when trapped in the Ring was blurred, except the boredom).

_The bells tinkled as the door opened. _

_"I'm home," called Ryou in English. Ryou threw his backpack on to the table, "Dad," he began, and then saw it was me. He looked surprised and then slumped a little._

_"He called," I told him. "Said that he was going to be out with his coworkers, I think they're getting drunk together." Obviously, we had told him. He had taken it rather well too, and had even seen this as a bonus, in a way. He somehow thought that being a three thousand plus year old spirit would automatically make one mature. Not that I'm not. It also probable helped that he was told the edited version. Everyone is. My host and I for the _most_ part act like no other version exits…_

_"Oh," Ryou was disappointed._

_Intrigued by what he wanted to tell his father, and not me, I asked, "What's wrong?"_

_He tried to smile at me. Tried, the child couldn't act, as he seemed very distraught. "Nothing really."_

_He couldn't lie well either. I glared at him, to let him know he might be able to pull that stuff with others, but not me._

_"I'm not feeling all that well," he told me._

_I rolled my eyes. "And why aren't you feeling well? And the truth, or else I'll uncover it."_

_He gulped. It was potent threat, as me cutting through his mental barriers was a traumatic and painful experience._

_"It's just that—"_

_I recognized the beginning of a lie. It was the other way then. I looked at him, stared really. He made eye contact. For some reason or another, that usual makes it more painful. His loss._

_At some point he had fallen to his knees. This memory was harder than usual to get at. At first I had wondered if it was a plot against me. Then it came through. Ryou had been walking back from the herbal store (good, he had gotten the rosemary), when he had seen Isis and Shadi looking rather smug. When he had asked them what was so funny and why they were here and not in Egypt, they had given evasive, non-informative answers. Ryou saw that they were uneasy. He bade them a polite good-bye, and left. _

_I didn't really understand what he was so upset about. _

_Ryou must have picked up on his slight bewilderment. "Don't you see?" he asked._

_I remained silent, he would tell me. _

_"They'll never trust me," Ryou stated flatly. "No one really does any more." He sat in a high-backed green chair his legs tucked underneath his chin, staring out morosely on the busy streets._

_Somewhere in the depths of my mind any old memory suggested that he might be dehydrated. I think I may have once known someone who got depressed when in need of water._

_I opened the fridge and saw there was little. A jug of milk ten days gone, a juice cartoon with under a mouth full left. In the back there was a covered pitcher of old eggnog, at least six months old. I pulled off the cover and sniffed, fully prepared to pitch it. To my surprise, it smelled fine and strongly of vanilla. I poured a little into a glass and gulped it done. It was rather good too. I took down one of the larger glasses. Carefully, I filled it almost to the brim and gave it to my host. One of the last things I need now was for him to become hysterical. _

_"Thanks," he said after he had drunk almost half of it. He tried to smile at me again._

_Tried._

_He took another sip, perhaps to hide the fact his lip was trembling. And another sip fallowed that, and another soon the glass was empty. _

_"Wonder what going to happen next time," he said._

_"What do you mean?" I said warily. I had figured out what Isis and Shadi were conversing on, and would rather not let anyone find out what had transpired. _

_"Next time, what is it going to be next time they're going to not tell? Maybe it would be best just to ask Dad if we could move soon. It would matter little to him. He'll find another dig soon…I doubt though, that they'll let up their clutch."_

_"Who?"_

_"Them, the Items and maybe even the gods. This won't conclude easily, if at all, and certainly not with out heart break. I feel like a puppet._

_It was in that one moment I realized just how insecure my host was, or at least when he had had one to many…_

_Because as it turned out, the reason the eggnog had been preserved was because of its high alcohol content. Last time I look unsuspectingly into that fridge._

Later Yami Bakura had told Ryou the real reason that Isis and Shadi had been laughing. Ryou had started to laugh as well. Yami Bakura had scowled and told him to shut up. It didn't help much.

However what Ryou had said that Items would never truly loosen there hold was—

_What's the time?_ Yami Bakura thought. With startled mental cruses, he took control of the body. His eyes snapped open and he saw the time. It wasn't as late as he feared, but he had no concept what time classes started. Still there was no need to run down immediately. For one he needed to get the contacts in.

After he had found out that Ryou's eyes changed to a purplish color whenever he was in direct control he had bought the brown pair. They did nothing but change the eye color. Ah, the wonders of the modern age. As he blinked them in, he ran a hand through his hair. It would do. 

He randomly chose three textbooks to put in his bag and added a roll of parchment, a bottle of ink and three quills. If he was lucky, breakfast would be severed in he same hall as last ni—

What was that piece of paper? Yami Bakura scanned the note quickly and chuckled. No one had come to wake him so it was fine. He threw the note behind him, into the trash bin. He walked into the common room.

"Good morning!" cried someone.

"Good morning," Yami Bakura said, making sure to sound cheerful.

"I waited for you, thinking that you might need some one to show you were breakfast was," Ginny told him.

Yami Bakura nodded. "Thank you."

"Ah, its nothing," she told him.

"Do you have any idea what books I should take?" Yami Bakura asked, pleased with his imitation of Ryou.

"Don't worry, they'll tell you at breakfast and give time to come back up for the books."

"Okay."

Jointly they left the common room, Ginny told him that you needed a password to get back in (snifflehow). She pointed out rooms that were on the way, and when she pointed a to wall that liked to pretend it was a door, he decided that this place might not be so bad. As the both jumped over a trick stair, Yami Bakura decided that he really might develop a fondness for this place (and made a mental note to have Pharaoh go down that staircase in fount of him).

"I'll admit that I might have taken a the longer way," Ginny said, "But this way I could show you more of the classrooms. Hope you can remember them all. I'm in a different year so our class are going to be different."

Yami Bakura nodded. "I have a fine memory," he reassured her. _One has to when robbing tombs in the Theban Necropolis._

"Try and stick close to Hermione, Harry, and Ron, because they know the main parts of the castle fairly well. And keep in mind that some doors will only work when the moon is in the sky or some odd thing like that, and on Friday don't use this stair case as it goes down to the lake then. Literally, that's why there's no carpet on it."

They both entered the Great Hall; Ginny took a glance at the clock while Yami Bakura looked at the ceiling.

"Darn," Ginny said, "I'm sorry but it looks like my little tour had a side affect of taking so much time that you've only got a couple of minutes to eat."

"That's fine."

"Bakura," Malik said seeing whom it was who came to sit across from him. "Didn't you see the note?"

"Yeah," 'Bakura' said cheerfully. "But Ginny was with me, so no worry. What classes do we have?"

"Herbology and Defense Against the Dark Arts, then lunch."

Yami was in control of Yugi at the time (he and Malik had been playing Go Fish). He, Yami Bakura and Malik shared a black look. The second one sat well with none of them. Might have something to do with the 'Defense' part. 

"What exactly are 'the Dark Arts'," asked Yami, putting down his hand of cards carefully.

"Um… evil magic, I guess," Hermione said.

"It's to protect you against black magic," Harry said.

Yami was beginning to feel more than a little uncomfortable with this class. One of his favorite cards was the Black Magician [Dark Magician]. "What are some of things that 'black magic can do?"

Harry saw that all three were hanging on to his every word, and decide to give them some of the worst ones first. "There are three illegal spells that are called the Unforgivables. People are sentenced to prison for life when they use these ones usual. The first is the Killing Curse. I think you can tell by the name what it does. There is the Curciatus Curse. I-it makes you feel a lot of pain, but doesn't hurt you physically. Then there's the Imperious Curse. With that you can control some one.

Yami, Yami Bakura, and Malik exchanged a depressed look.

Harry saw that Ginny was glaring at him for some reason.

"They aren't used real often," she said quietly.

"Yeah, uh-huh, could have fooled me last June," Harry said bitterly.

"Sorry, but you're a special case," said Ginny, "It's reasonable to assume that they won't encounter them."

"I have noticed," said Yami quietly, "That 'reasonable' never means a straight yes or no."

"What year do you learn how to block them?" asked Malik.

"Well, um… last year it was attempted to teach us to throw off the Imperious Curse, but Harry was the only one who could actually do it, but other than that, you can't," Ron said gravely.

"Maybe we could discuss this later?" cut in Hermione. "We'll be late otherwise."

"See ya later!" yelled Ginny already three meters away.

Yami gave control back to Yugi.

*** 

Herbology was held at greenhouse four that day. After everyone had come in and put on their dragon hide gloves, Professor Sprout that today they would be learning how to water Fanged Geraniums. 

Yugi wasn't sure what she had meant. Once you had watered one plant, you knew how to…right?

However, once the professor had shown them what they had to do, Yugi could see why it was termed difficult. For one, the flowers actually had fangs, two on each petal. And each plant had at least three blossoms. And you couldn't put the spout about two feet above the plant and pour, as that would harm it. The blooms would attempt to drink it. Finally, plants and watering cans were passed amongst the students. 

Yami Bakura had found a stick and had used it to fend of the blossoms by holding them back with the stick on the stems. He had yet to get a bite.

Malik on the other hand, had gotten at least three bites.

"Shit!"

Make it four.

Yugi was doing rather well, none yet. He had been treating it rather like a game. 

"Very good," the professor complimented him.

"Thank you," said Yugi.

The professor nodded, and went over to 'Bakura'. "Nice," she said, seeing the technique he was using. 

Yami Bakura turned his head to look at her, and the plant took than chance to nip around the edge of the stick and bite his hand. Though he was wearing dragon hide gloves it was sure to leave a bruise. "Thanks," he said through gritted teeth.

***

Many had shared Malik's expense of being bitten, but Malik was the only one who had blood spilled. When Malik had been putting down the watering can down, one of the flowers had struck quickly on his upper arm. The only thing between its teeth and Malik's skin was his cloth robe.

"Stupid vegetation," Malik muttered darkly, looking at the bite again. Good, a scab was forming.

"At least in Defense Against the Dark Arts there won't be any plants," Ron said. He had several bruises.

"Yes," agreed Hermione, "And we'll get to see who the new teacher."

 "The job is rumored to be jinxed; we've had a new teacher every year," Harry explained

"Ah," Yugi nodded.

"Hope he's decent," muttered Harry. Then remembering that there had been no new person at the Head Table the night before, "Hope there _is_ one."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Stella: If some of this reads oddly, it's because some of it was typed at three in the morning. 

**Review Responses:******

**Ghost Whisper**: YEAH! LONG REVIEW! I was hard pressed when it came to writing that scene. I didn't want Yami Bakura to be too violent, or too sweet. Your guess was close, he was crying because of his mother but also his little sister had died on the same day. His tenth birthday. Thank you! Yami Malik is going to be fun to play with...

**Lily of the Shadow, Lucifer aka Lord of Darkness,** and **Cindy**: Thank you!

**AG the master**: After seeing the subtitled, how could I not?

**Blood Aura**: Trying to. Those two will get some more spot light after Halloween in the story.

**Kirbie**: You could write just as well if you tried. Thanks.

**Curtis Zidane Ziraa**: I don't plan to any time soon.      

**Sarah**: Oh, we have ideas... Problem is getting them all down.   

**Lyn/Lin**: *_ruefully sigh_* Another on going joke. *_grin_* 

**Windswift**: Hmm, I might take you up on that...            

**C.M Aeris Queen of Insanity**: Some blood here.

**Nemi**: You're welcome. Bit of Slytherin myself. 

**Cettie-girl**: Long review good. No, it wasn't a joke of Dumbledore's... 

**Mistress of Ice**: Poor Ryou, it isn't over for him yet. Or for anyone else.


	28. Ch 28: The Dusty Past

Stella: Review Response next chapter, sorry.

Disclaimer: 'Tis a fanfic. Guess.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Dusty Past

  
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Dumbledore smiled as he ambled into the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, and into the large open area between the teacher's desk and the students. Since it was Double Defense Against the Dark Arts it was Gryffindor and Slytherin fifth years.

"Hello Professor," the pupils said.

"Good morning," he replied. "Yes, Hermione, your question?"

Hermione blinked, as she lowered her hand. The professors next to never called you by your first name. "Who's to be our Professor?"

Dumbledore grinned widely. "As you are all here, I have no reason to postpone announcing that any longer. I am the new Professor."

The class stared. 

"As very few people applied for the position, I figured that it would be the best for me to teach it. I did defeat Grindalal in 1945. I assure you I'm quite qualified."

Some nodded. It did make sense, though it was odd.

"This quarter we will be looking at stratagems you can use." _Hm, wonder why those three are looking so smug, _Dumbledore thought, looking at the newest students of the fifth year. 

"Strategies?" protested a Slytherin. "What use are _those_?"

"You have obviously have not read the book your own house founder had written on the subject. Its title is _Wand Dueling Stratagems for a New Age_. Though penned well over a thousand years ago much of it still applies. Aurors utilize it in their training course. You shall be required to read it later in the year."

The Slytherin student kept his head down, arguing against the Headmaster was one thing, but going against what the one who had founded his house had written was entirely different. 

"But for those of you who thing that believe this will would be a waste of your time and want to get out of this quarter of classes or would just like to, perhaps for the girls, beat this." Dumbledore clapped his hands. 

Harry recognized the giant chess set. 

"Beat McGonagall's Giant Chess set?" whispered a Gryffindor girl skeptically. "You could get killed doing that!"

"I'll best it!" declared Yami as he stood up.

"Me too," added Malik, also rising.

"Don't you two dare think that I'm going to let either of you have all the fun," Yami Bakura said, and let the two clearly see who was in control.

"One thing though that you three should know," Dumbledore said, "You will be taking the place of chess pieces, and this is wizards chess; the pieces essentially demolish each other. You, if taken, would possibly end up in the Infirmary, or you could die in the absolute worst-case scenarios."

Yami shrugged. He had been bored, truth be told, with the regular games. They never paralleled the exhilaration of a game in which something was on the line. "As long as the rules are the same."

"They are," Dumbledore confirmed.

Malik tapped his fingers on his desk.

Yami Bakura leaned back on his desk looking casual and inattentive, but ready to strike.

"Are you quite sure that the three of you understand the risk your taking?" asked Dumbledore concerned.

"Professor, with all due respect, you have never seen some of the games I play," Yami said sincerely, but a touch patronizing. 

"If you think you're up to it… you can," Dumbledore said slowly, "But first you must sign this paper. It says that you won't sue or ask for anyone to be sacked if you get hurt as you understand what you're getting into."

Yami Bakura quickly read it and sighed 'Ryou Bakura' careful to sign it the way Ryou would.

/_Mh?_/ 

It seemed that accessing that part of the memory had attracted Ryou's attention.

//_Worst of it over?_// asked Yami Bakura surprised.

/_What do you think?_/ Ryou replied acidly. /_Why do you want to know how to sign my name?_/ he asked, less hostile.

_//Just a paper.//_

/_Homework?/_ asked Ryou not sounding truly curious.

_//No, more a legally form_.//

/_Can I see_?/

//_Sure_.// Yami Bakura opened the mental link for vision between the two.

Ryou scanned the paper. /_You seem to be the only one who remembers today is my birthday, and your present is a potentially fatal game. Have fun._/ Ryou cut the conversation off, aggravated.

While Yami Bakura had been talking to his depressed light, both Yami and Malik had finished reading the paper and had signed it.

Dumbledore looked at them and raised his eyebrows. "You seem to highly value your names as the translating potion doesn't seem to have gotten them."

Yami had written in Japanese, and Malik in Arabic.

Bakura passed his paper to Dumbledore. Dumbledore did not remark that the name was written in an alphabet he knew.

"Well," said Dumbledore, putting the papers onto his desk, "You can still back out now."

They looked at him as though he was an idiot.

"I didn't think you would," he murmured. "Choose what piece you'll be on the black side."

"Fitting," muttered Malik. "Bishop."

"Rook," said Yami.

"Wouldn't the king be more fitting?" asked Malik, his eyes widened mockingly.

"It's the weakest piece," Yami told him.

"Precisely."

Yami Bakura sighed. "Save the back biting until once we know we'll win. Knight," he called.

"Game Start!" Yami barked. "White moves first."

White moved one of the pawns. 

Yami and Malik argued which pawn should be moved. 

Yami Bakura interrupted, "Remember who was about to win at cards earlier."

Yami's plan was used.

White moved another pawn.

Yami moved another pawn forward two spaces.

White took one of the two white pawns.

Malik blinked through the stone dust that had been their pawn. "Violent."

"Sure you don't—" Dumbledore started

"We stay and play it out," Yami said quickly.

Malik moved to take the black pawn that had destroyed theirs. He knocked it over with a foot and shattered it.

"Malik!" Yami growled. "If you hadn't done that, we could have had a checkmate in two turns!"

"So what? I didn't feel too fond of your plan anyway," Malik dismissed. 

White moved one of its knights into a position that could take Malik.

Malik moved back to his original place.

"Great move," commented Yami Bakura.

"Shut up."

"Read to listen to my plan now?" asked Yami.

Malik became selectively deaf and blind to Yami's commands in the five turns that fallowed. Twice he had ordered a piece to move. 

Yami had Yami Bakura move twice as well, to clean up Malik's mistake.

"If you didn't keep on interfering I could be winning this now," Malik snapped at the start of their ninth turn.

"If you hadn't interfered we could have won by now," Yami countered.

"You need to learn to be a better team player," Malik criticized.

"You need to even more."

Yami Bakura rolled his eyes. They seem to have forgotten the game already.

/_Gotten killed yet?_/ asked Ryou.

//_No, but at the rate those two are at it Yugi might grow an inch or two before they stop.//_

_/Sorry aboutearlier,moodswings. Can I look?/ _

Yami Bakura knew his host disliked apologizing, so he let most of it slide. _//Link's open.//_

Ryou took a swift glance.

Yami Bakura wasn't sure which of them had seen it first, but he would be glad to take credit. He moved.

"What do you think you doing?" demanded Malik.

"Checkmate," Bakura declared.

"I was trying to tell you to let him do that," Yami said to Malik, irritated.

"Then don't waste time," Malik told him.

Yami rolled his eyes.

***

Dumbledore sat heavily on his chair, and did his best not to think of the bottle of champagne that was in his desk in his other office, for emergences. He made a large mental not have the chess se for any of the other classes.

Oh goodness, the other classes. Who wants to bet they have already heard about this little fiasco, and rushed to the library to reacquaint themselves with chess. I think that I'm definitely going to hire a new defense teacher next year. Drat, means I might need to break it…but this is the only way…

***

Malik sighed with relief as he and the other guys entered the bathroom to wash up before lunch. "How long is Hermione going to keep up glaring at us and giving us a cold shoulder?"

"Could be a while," said Ron, "She could do that for over a month if she wants to."

"Ouch," Yami winced.

"Personally," Ron continued, "I wouldn't put it down on my good idea list either. What were you thinking?"

"Um, love of the game?" suggested Yami Bakura remembering a phase Ryou had used once.

Ron rolled his eyes. 

"Um, maybe we should just stay in here through lunch…" Yami suggested.

"The real reason you were trapped was because you couldn't face up to a girl I guess," muttered Yami Bakura.

"What?" Ron asked.

"Inside joke," dismissed Yami through gritted teeth.

"I see," Harry spoke for the first time since he ha entered the bathroom. They way those three had acted when there were on the chessboard had been odd, but wonderfully fascinating. 

Ron's stomach growled. "Well, the Great Hall's just down the hallway so you can't miss it. I'll come back here if you haven't showed up once lunch is over." He and went to lunch.

Yami sighed as the door closed. "One of these days," he said, "You and I are going to have a long talk about your comments."

"Do you have a better theory why you were trapped in the Puzzle?" asked Yami Bakura.

"Yes, fate," Yami said, rubbing his hands together with a bit of soap.

"Please don't, Yami," interrupted Malik, "I get what little and more I need of that from my sister. And we have Divination in two days."

"Wonder what's that going to be like," Yami commented, drying his hands. He straightened his robes and ran a hand through two of his blonde bangs. "Well, I'm going off to lunch." He sauntered out of the bathroom.

"Something's up with him," Malik said, "Something's up with you. I'm sorta surprised that Yami didn't say anything about you staying in control."

"He'd be a hypocrite, so to him wouldn't be fair, expect for the fact I'm not to be trusted."

"Um, yeah, I suppose. But I noticed that there was no pause of any type after I'd said I play. You only let us see who was in control. So you must have been in control earlier, but the question is how long."

"Great deduction, Sherlock," said Yami Bakura, leaning on sink.

"Well? How long?" Malik persisted. 

"All of today."

"When Yami hears about this he's gonna have your hide."

"For some reason that doesn't really frighten me." Yami Bakura turned the faucet on, cupped his hands under it, and splashed the water over his face. A hand-towel magical appeared and Yami Bakura dried his face before specking. "My _hikari_…you probably do not know that both his mother and sister died… What the real problem it that they died on his tenth birthday…" He chuckled. "Makes this birthday present seem okay. He's right now in his soul room, moping."

"Oh." Malik could think of nothing more to say, only a change of subject. "Yami was mad to have gone out there, with Hermione there."

***

Ginny saw 'Yugi' enter the hall. Eagerly, she craned her neck to see if Bakura had come with him. Disappointed, upon not seeing him, she started on the problems her Arithmancy Professor had given her. That's what happened when she thought about certain white-haired person. She sighed, and looked up at the floating clouds of the sky.

"This seat taken?" asked a mature voice, one that she might know, but couldn't remember; to her it was almost velvet…was it Bakura?

She turned to look; half-expecting to see Bakura, but then was confronted by 'Yugi'. Well, at least he wasn't quite so kid-like right now. Honestly, there was more than one moment she had thought he had been younger than her. "No."

"Ah, would you mind if sit here then?"

"No, not really. So, where are Malik and Ryou?" Ginny asked.

"Hiding in the bathroom, I believe."

"Oh."

"I see you aren't in her favors either," said Yami, making a movement in Hermione generally direction.

"No, I showed a little too much interest or her tastes on the incident which showed yet another example of —I'm quoting here—'of boys thinking with their other brains'. From what Ron and Harry said, she's being slightly bias."

"Well, to her it likely seems like it was an unnecessary risk."

"Yeah," Ginny said.

"Was it…to you?" asked Yami, twirling one of his bangs.

"I'm sure you all had some type of reason," she said softly.

Yami looked at her, a hint of smile on his lips. His spied that she had yet to eat. He snagged plates, silverware and glasses for each of them, and set them. He picked up a dish of sweet potatoes and spooned soon upon his plate. "Peas?" he offered.

"Yes," Ginny said, about to take it.

"Say when," 'Yugi' said, spooning some on to her plate as well. He repeated this for each dish and even poured her drink for her.

"That was very kind of you," Ginny said, before eating.

"It wasn't hard to do, 'sides, I need someone to talk to, Harry and Ron are going to be mostly on Hermione's side with this."

"What about Malik and Ryou?"

"They both planning to stay out of her way last I heard."

"Mh…from your perspective how was the chess game?"

Yami proceeded to give her a play-by-play description. Occasionally, when Ron had attempted to, her eyes had glazed over, but the manner 'Yugi' told it in was interesting. So enthralling it was, she lost track of time.

"Damn!" she swore, "Sorry, got to go, I don't want to be late for Muggle Studies."

"That's fine," Yami said.

"Thank you!"

***

'Ryou' and Malik had only moved to the hallway, so fetching them was relatively easy, however, keeping them from arguing was a different matter; their argument had long past a point which even Yami understood, so everyone kept out of it, expect for Hermione who finally quelled it with a comment. The comment affected Malik, not Yami Bakura, but after one was silenced, the other also quieted. Yami finally retreated to the Puzzle.

"What class is next?" asked Ron.

"Nap time," said Harry.

"What?" Yugi asked.

"History of Magic," Harry explained, "The Professor is a ghost, a very boring ghost.

"Really? Can he make history that boring?" asked Yugi.

"Yes," Harry said, "Definitely."

***

"You were right, three hours of _that_," Malik declared, after coming out of class.

"That was worse than night," Yami Bakura muttered.

They all looked at him, before he realized he had spoken.

"Never mind." _I really need to have a talk with my host. I'm trying to do five things at once and slipping._

"The school day is over," Hermione annoyed, "I'm going to find Jena and see how her day was. I'll see you later."

The five boys meandered around the castle, Harry and Ron showing wear important places were, but slowly they lapsed into ennui, and they returned to Gryffindor Tower. Both Yugi and Malik wrote letters, to Anzu and Isis respectively, whilst Yami Bakura lay down in the dormitory, prepared to enter his _hikari's_ soul room.

Yami Bakura slowly let himself drift into the trance-like state of mentality. He found him self at the nexus of the rooms, he choose the soft, white door. 

The main chamber of Ryou's soul room was pure, dazzling white, with the exception of a pedestal in the middle which displayed the Ring, the Eye, and pictures of the Items, around that was a dozen books about Ancient Egypt. Yami Bakura though had learned that wasn't the true soul room, but the image that was only faced. His real room's entrance was on the other side of the long room, secreted by a wall that looked like it ended before it really did. Yami Bakura squeezed between the two walls to enter Ryou's _genuine_ soul room. 

Ryou's true soul room despite the fact that it was much smaller than the other had a more existent feel than the other. The walls always carried a hint of crimson, but were never the same, today they were crimson bled into black. The carpet reflected this statement, as did the two chairs in the room, which were unoccupied as Ryou was on the hammock. The two tall bookshelves had books, CDs and DVDs in no apparent order. On the floor were scattered eleven pillows; normal it would have been an even dozen, but Ryou had one.

"Hello," said Yami Bakura, hoping his host was in a passive mood, it was his host room and therefore Ryou had the advantage.

"Hey," Ryou said, sniffing a little, his eyes red.

"Well, classes are over."

"Managed to keep in one piece, I see…unless you got me trapped in here as well."

Yami Bakura had trouble trying to unravel what his host said. Finally, he said, "Don't worry, the body's fine. It's your mental health that I'm most concerned about, well that and mine."

"What?" 

"Seems like I'm not the only one who can leak badly. I've been getting flashes of what happened all day. The only decent thing I can say about them is that they kept me from dying of tedium in your History class, but that's all."

"I'm sure there's going to be a time when you leak as bad as this."

"I don't care if there is a time or not. I shall take over tomorrow and the day after, but that is all!"

Ryou glared harshly, bright eyes shadowed by narrowed eyelids, and broke eye contact. "I'm useless," he murmured into his pillow that was printed with a pattern of the night sky. "Useless."

Yami Bakura normally would have agreed with the statement, but he had some tact. "No you aren't, when you're in control Yami is less suspicious."

Ryou seemed slightly cheered. "But you're bored out of your mind."

"I plot best then."

Ryou pulled his head up and looked at him, "Leave," he said his voice carrying no undertone of friendliness. 

"Happy birthday," said Yami Bakura quietly, and left, dodging the pillow.

***

Yami Bakura returned to the body, and his eyes snapped open.

"Awake, I see," said a voice.

Yami Bakura suppressed a groan. 

"Or should I say back?" 

Yami Bakura sat up and slid off the bed. 

Yami had been putting together a 3-D puzzle while he had been waiting, a half completed miniature skyscraper. "Thief, why is Bakura not in control? Last time I checked it was his birthday, not yours, and he would have liked to be at his first round of classes."

So Yami had waited to have a word with him in private. 

"Pharaoh, it was largely my host decision."

"Yet one wonders at how much his judgment was influenced by you."

"It was his chose not mine, and has complained other then when he saw the chess game, but even then he didn't ask me to stop." It was technically true. 

"Mh."

"Look, Ryou is not feeling to well mentally and him not feeling well is effecting me; and his not feeling well is because of something that happened in the past, before I found him, so you're going to have to ask him yourself once his feeling better, but if you upset him you're responsible, and you get to cheer him up. So 'til then, stay out of this." Yami Bakura glared. _If Ryou doesn't take over in two days… I think I might go quietly insane. He's depressed, not thinking logically, and leaking over to my side a great deal; and what makes it even more fun is that for some reason the Ring won't let me close the channel, absolutely lovely,_ he thought. Maybe he could find a nice quiet room in the castle where he could yell at the world for a while and not be heard, deciding upon this course of action, he left.

Yami continued to fit together pieces of the puzzle until he completed it. 

/_Yami?_/ 

//_Yes, Yugi?//_

_/Do you know that old saying, 'keep your friends close, and your enemies closer'?/_

_//I'm familiar with it.//_

_/With Malik it applies quite well, as he has his yami, and as much as he tries to rid himself of it, he fails. But with Bakura…it's hard to tell where one of them ends and the other begins./_

_//I think I understand what you mean, partner, but what is there for us to do? I honestly believe that Bakura and his yami both want us to keep out of this, I don't know why, but they do.//_

_/I donno why either…maybe we should ask Anzu in the letter?/_

_//That couldn't hurt, but there is the minuscule problem of you starting to write three different letters to her, and tear up each one.//_

_/I'm trying to find a way to tell her what all has happened with out completely confusing her in the process./_

_//Write to her that you almost got killed a couple of times, Bakura's acting strange and Malik's here too. A very simple easily understood message.//_

_/Yami-i, that explains nothing about what has happened./_

_//Then my advice is for you write a very long letter, telling her precisely what happened and in the order it happened.//_

_/It's definitely going to be a long letter./_

And so Yugi took control and proceeded to write the longest letter of his life. First telling her of what happened at the Burrow, about the dementors, and stopped; he had filled over fifteen pages and wasn't even near caught up, and his hand had long since cramped. "I think that's all I'm going to get done for now." Hiding the letter in his desk, he pulled down one of his five hundred piece puzzles to work on.

***

Yami Bakura looked into another room, it was empty and gloomily, it's chalkboard still containing half written incantations, so it was likely yet another abandoned classroom. Yami Bakura had noted an astounding amount of them. It was beginning to seem that each teacher had used a new one. Would make about as much sense as that on room he had found that had five half-built staircases to nowhere. He noted that by the layer of dust, it hadn't been cleaned for over a decade.

"This used to be the third Charms class room," someone said quietly.

Yami Bakura saw his Head of House, Professor McGonagall standing in the open doorway.

"About two hundred years ago."

"Weren't there a lot of witch hunts back then?" asked Yami Bakura, faintly remembering what he had heard in the History of Magic class.

"Not as many as you think probably. Then Hogwarts was in its glory age. The whole castle bustled and there were well over three thousand students and a hundred professors. Now look at us, not quite a thousand, and seventeen professors if you count the librarian, the caretaker, the nurse, and the two councilors. And we mustn't forget that one professor is a ghost and the Headmaster is also doubling as the Defense prof." McGonagall made a noise of disgust. "Back when I was a child here we still had two professors for Arithmancy, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and History of Magic each."

"So, this school has passed its golden age?" asked Yami Bakura, curious. 

"Long ago. Many parents are sending there children to schools closer to home, never mind that they might be over-crowded and have lower standards. The schools are often newer," McGonagall glanced at the room, "And in most cases, quite a bit cleaner, but often without any real atmosphere to them." She sighed and shrugged. "It was their decision."

Yami Bakura nodded.

"So, how was your day?" asked the professor, her mood sifting a little.

Yami Bakura's face turned stormy. "I was a bruised by a _plant_, and found out that History class is only good for napping."

"From what I heard you almost got hurt by a game, too."

"That I'm counting as a highlight; the down side to that is that Hermione is giving us a cold shoulder. Unnecessary risk, hpm," Yami Bakura muttered, and shot a look at her, remembering that Ryou usually liked to be on good terns with his teachers, and if McGonagall thought the same as Hermione, he could have a little trouble with Ryou, later. Gods, he hated treading in the waters of human relationships. 

McGonagall chuckled, reading his look, "Don't worry, the chess set's mine. I understand what playing it is like, though I bought it mostly on a dare."

"Oh." Yami Bakura decided that the whole staff was at least a little eccentric.

"So other than odd plants, boring professors, and Hermione how nice have you found the school."

"That takes out a chunk, um… So far I've had a couple arguments, and been trying to figure where everything is."

"So, no cute girls yet?" McGonagall asked, teasing.

Yami Bakura groaned. He hadn't even thought about that topic yet… what if his host fell in love? Another thing to worry about.

"Don't want to think about that until you've settled in?" McGonagall said, providing a prefect excuse.

"Yeah."

"Makes sense to me… Whom have you been arguing with?"

"Ya— Yugi and Malik, as usual. It's going to take us a while to strike an understanding."

"Mh, I suppose that's why you're out here."

"Mostly," Yami Bakura said flippantly.

"Well, I need to go, duties and such," McGonagall said, "Oh, and watch out for the second step on that stair case, it's a trick one."

***

Ginny muttered a word she probably should not have under her breath as she messed up her calculations again. Though Arithmancy was a very useful thing to know, it could be quite a task to learn. The portrait door opened, and McGonagall entered, providing Ginny with a welcome distraction. To Ginny's surprise, it was her she wanted to see.

"Hello, professor," Ginny said, her forehead wrinkled.

"Good afternoon, Ginny."

"Am I in trouble?" asked Ginny, making an attempt at humor.

"No. You remember your first year I take it."

Oh, yes, her wonderful first year. Who didn't like being possessed and almost killing people? "Yeah," Ginny said, her tone darker.

"Well, with two new councilors, the Headmaster has decided to offer you the choice of counseling."

"Ohhhh." Ginny thought for a few minutes. Though her first year had effected her greatly, none of it seemed to have left any real mark, but…

"You don't have to go if you don't want to," McGonagall said.

"I was just thinking, it did effect me, but it doesn't really now, I think, and I would hate to waste their time…"

"Things like that are what they're hired for."

"Well, okay," Ginny decided. 

***

McGonagall also approached Harry about counseling, who also accepted. They both got a person named Mr. Sanderson. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Stella: Long chapter = happy reader usually, so review, please. I saw/heard what they did to Yami Malik's voice. *shudder* That was wrong. And I thought that the dub voice of Malik was bad. And they don't have the knife in the Rod. *pouts* Sorry, meant to have this up sooner but I had two different camping trips. Fun.


	29. Ch 29: Darts

Stella: Yes, yes, I know, late update, and the next update won't be for a while yet. I got the box 1 of the subtitled version on order, and it's going to be here any day now.

Disclaimer: The only things here that are even marginally arguable mine/Wind's are the plot ideas and the OCCs like Jena. (Okay, and a couple of them a friend suggested...)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Darts

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Professor Dumbledore, now in the safety of his office, heaved a great sigh. He had forgotten what teaching was like… he should give the other professors a pay raise. A large pay raise. And make sure to let them have a great access to wine… or lesser; Dumbledore had yet to decide on that, just as he could not yet decide whether to have a drink from the bottle in front of him. 

As though Fawkes had read his mind, the phoenix flew from the perch, to settle in front of the professor, his head cocked, wishing for a pet, and coincidently, the phoenix's head blocked Dumbledore's hand from the bottle of champagne. 

"Little plotting bird," Dumbledore accused, but obliged stroking the soft, warm feathers. "I wasn't going to have much, only a glass…"

The phoenix's eyes bore through Dumbledore.

"Well, maybe two… Ah, you're right. I should have it later, after ever thing has been dealt with." 

Fawkes gave him another hard glare.

Dumbledore chuckled. "Fine, none. As usual you have glared me out of it."

The phoenix, satisfied, hopped away from the bottle, and went back to the perch, to continue to preen.

Dumbledore continued to set out his lessons plans for the next month. As he struggled with the problem of when to teach the Stunning Spell, a rumpled owl nearly hurt itself when it attempted to knock on the window. Dumbledore undid the catch on the window and let it in. 

Errol, the family owl of the Weasleys flapped feebly in. Tied to its leg was a letter. 

Dumbledore unknotted the cord that held it and unrolled it, wondering what it could be.

_Dear Professor,_

_A most unfortunate event has happened. It seems when we were at the train station yesterday; someone had broke into our house. The window that we had deliberately left unlocked had been opened and relocked. However, none of the other traps in the house were sprung, so it is presumed that the thief or thieves are skilled. Other than that, nothing seems to have been touched, which argues great skill on the part of the trespasser(s). The papers and books were in the same place, but as it has been mentioned before in this letter, this may mean nothing. The only thing that is missing seems to be a book that had been left in the bathroom, by Ryou Bakura. Molly swore she saw it before she went out to the car and no one else had gone into the bathroom after her. Mundungus has come to investigate, and of course we have not brought the matter to the light of the Ministry._

_In your trust,_

_Arthur Weasley_

Dumbledore put down the letter. The most concerning thing had been the fact someone had gotten in and had triggered none of the traps. The papers and books would tell them little, if anything. Dumbledore only knew that the spell had done something requiring a great amount of power. He had chosen to cast the ancient spell because it seemed as though there was little that could hurt them or the neutrals, such as the giants. The Death Eaters would figure out little from the papers; a reason Dumbledore let them remain so unguarded. With any luck it would confuse them as well.

However, Dumbledore was still uneasy that some of the spells, such as the one that was to record any unknown person in the house had not activated.

***

"Yugi," Malik said, entering the boy's dormitory, seeing no one else in there, he muttered, "How can you look for a damn hour and not find him?" 

//_Maybe you're not looking in the right places,//_ suggested Yami Malik.

Malik ignored him. He did not want to even think about his _yami_ hard right then. All he wanted to do then was to talk to Yugi a bit about what they should tell Yugi's friends back in Japan. For some reason Malik thought they would likely not be comforted by the knowledge that he was also attending school with him. He doubted even more they would take reassurance in the fact the slept in the same room. The hints in Isis's letters were beginning to shape into a firm for-your-own-good command to be friends with them. Isis was also constantly reminding him to keep his temper and not do anything his _yami_ said. 

_She is restating the obvious_.

Malik continued to search for Yugi.

***

Malik's quarry had been nearly kidnapped by Lee Jordan and the Weasley twins. Still not believing that Yugi's hair could be natural, they had taken a dozen books about hair out of the library and were attempting to stack them on Yugi's head. However, each time, they slowly toppled off. Yugi had resigned himself to it and had become rather competent in reading a Potion's textbook at an odd angle. Sitting outside the library on one of the several chairs scattered about, when Malik had stalked by, he was an easy person to spot.

"Yugi, there you are," the Egyptian said and stopped.

Fred (or was it George? In uniform they were impossible to identify,) had just placed four books on Yugi's head, and predictably, they fell off.

"They want to see if it's natural," Yugi explained.

"Uh-huh," Malik looked at the books with raised eyebrows.

"Well, since you went to all this trouble to find me, I assume that you need to tell me something," Yugi said standing. He walked to where Malik stood and a bit farther, and Malik took the hint to fallow. After the where out of hearing range of the three troublemakers, "I was starting to get a headache," Yugi confided. 

"Mh," Malik said, not really interested. He noticed another student walk their way down the corridor. "Hey," he said seeing it was Yami Bakura.

Yugi suddenly frowned. "Yami wants to have a talk now," he said, perhaps by way of explanation. Yugi's steps paused for a moment, and Yami took over.

"What is it?" asked Yami Bakura.

"For once it's something none of us did," snapped Yami.

"Grumpy, aren't we?" Yami Bakura commented.

"Was I the only one who understood that there seems to be a rather _serious_ sentence for _controlling_ someone…?" Yami said softly, and let the full implications dawn on them…

They stood looking at each other.

"Well, there goes any hope of true expectance here," Malik finally muttered, "This is absolutely wonderful."

Yami nodded.

"Library, I guess," Yami Bakura said darkly, "It'll give us something to do."

***

The three researched for almost two hours, pulling thick volumes on law of the shelves. Yami Bakura had already gotten into the librarian's poor graces by trying to enter the Restricted Section. Though the information about the forbidden part had been interesting, Yami Bakura had left it only. Law books contained laws, which needed to be known to be fallowed. Only one book about wizarding laws had been in the Restricted Section. It was about one of the big wizarding sports. Quitrech or something like that. As Malik returned from reshelving five books, Ginny Weasley found them.

"Good evening," she said.

"'Lo," said Yami Bakura, feeling rather defeated by the sheer amount of legal terms he had encountered.

"Interesting reading," Ginny commented, her tone clearly conveying that interesting meant rather dull. 

"Mh," Yami nodded, and managed to pick up the rest of the tomes to put back. No need for her to see what _type_ of law most of them specialized in. 

"Came to find you all for dinner," Ginny explained.

"Oh, yeah," Malik said, "We should probably wait for Yugi."

"Yeah, I guess," Ginny agreed.

***

Dinner was about the same as the night before, but without the good china and the elaborate arrangements of the food. Yugi had taken over had two hamburgers and Malik salads. Yami Bakura had to be reminded to eat and had a rare steak. 

That night had been relatively uneventful –so far– the boys unpacking, the only thing of any real importance that had happened, other than Yami Bakura setting up a dartboard at the foot of his bed, because he had already unpacked…and Malik and Dean striking up a conversation about alcohol…

Yugi had watched and listened with wide eyes, finally he spoke, "Malik, you speak like you've drunk vodka…"

It was Malik's turn to stare, "Yugi, saying that one type tastes better than another would sorta imply that."

"Um…but…" Yugi said and paused.

There was a soft _terwup_ of 'Bakura' hitting the broad.

 Yugi stared at Malik taking no notice of the noise, a stubborn expression on his features, "I thought you…" Yugi trailed off, failing to find a way to gracefully say that 'knew drinking is bad or you' without sounding like a little kid.

"Isis won't let me," Malik said regretfully, interpreting Yugi's stammer as 'I thought you didn't drink much.' "So Rishid sneaks it to me."

"Isis was right," muttered Yugi to himself, "Rishid does need more of a backbone."

"What does your mother have to say about this," asked Ron.

Malik froze in the middle of unpacking his substantial wardrobe, and all that could be heard was the sound of Yami Bakura's darts making and impact on the board.

Malik's eye's glinted in the light cast by the dozens of candles that lit the room. "She died giving birth to me," he said softly.

"Oh…Well," he said, trying to lighten the mood, "What does your father have to say about it then?"

"Oh, him? He died when I was eleven," Malik said flippantly, sounding more cheerful. He began to refold on of his shirts.

Ron sensed though this was touchy subjected, Malik would be willing to talk about it and bear no grudge against him for bringing it up. "How?" he asked, still a little cautiously, for all his emotional sensing, as he knew he messed up often there. 

"Well," said Malik, putting his now folded shirt away, and sliding the dresser door shut, "It's a long story." He sat down on his bed.

If anyone had not been hanging on to Malik's every word, they might have heard the study thumping noise of the darts stop.

"We lived in the Middle East… you or may not know about the various religious fanatics there, but I knew of them well, as my father was one."

Harry blinked; by the way Malik acted, he would have thought he came from a family with rather loose religious beliefs. 

"He could have been termed…abusive… and mad to boot, but we couldn't o to much as he was our only relative… When I was eleven, my sister and I snuck away to a nearby town, Rashid had agreed to cover for us while we were gone, but Father found out. He thought it might put me in danger and beat Rashid, until he blacked out. What happened after that is a mystery. When Isis and I came back we found him dead." Malik stood up and continued to unpack, his face neutral.

The soft terwup noise started again.

"So," Malik said after a couple of minutes, "You where saying something about 'fire whisky'?"  
  


Dean startled stammered for a moment and then began to speak normal, though a little shocked. 

"Malik," Yugi said quietly again, but insistent. 

Malik glared at Yugi. "Bakura, help me corrupt him a little."

"No," Yami Bakura said quietly, sighting down the dart he held, "I don't hold with drinking, it clouds much of common sense and your senses." He let the dart fly, and the seven other pairs of eyes fallowed it. Yami Bakura had been throwing his numerous darts in a pattern on the board; the pattern was an upside down pyramid, with and odd eye in the middle. The dart that had been last thrown had land in the very center of the eye, completing the pattern. "I doubt you could be me at this game," he said to both Yugi and the other Yugi as he retrieved the darts, and came to stand beside him and smirk. 

Yugi snatched the darts from Yami Bakura's hands and threw them with unnatural and uncanny accuracy. Quickly they formed the shape of a bird, rising from something. "I wouldn't be so sure," he said placing his single unthrown dart in Yami Bakura's hand.

***

The next day's breakfast was uneventful, for real this time, and their first class was Transfiguration.

Yugi swallowed hard as they entered the classroom. This was going to be the first time they did wand work and he had almost forgotten it in the dormitory, which to him boded ill for this class. The only good thing about it was that he had met the Professor. 

Professor McGonagall was already there and behind her desk when the entered. Slowly, people filtered in and she closed the door as the bell rang. After a quick roll call, she began to speak about the spells.

"Well, it's review as usual," she said, and passed out large bowls, to transform into a chicken.

Yugi looked at the dish in fount of him and then back at the blackboard. Okay, so he had the item and the spell was there, but he still wasn't positive how he used the wand even. However, McGonagall came back and walked the three though the process twice, and then let them do it on their own. 

 Yugi seemed to have a natural gift for it…and once he thought about it, it made sense. He had always wondered why he seemed to have so many boots, but few tennis shoes. Yami Bakura and Malik were about average, and seemed to be able to keep up.

Satisfied, McGonagall nodded. "Well, now you seem at least a little competent."

Across the room, Neville declared the spell loudly, and some smoke accompanied a soft _cuwth_ was part of the result. The other part was Neville's stone had been Transformed into a smoldering pile of feathers.

As McGonagall passed Yugi, he thought he heard her mummer "Probably more."

The next class was Charms; Malik had found it a great deal easier, while Yami Bakura struggled.

It too was review (Summoning and Banishing), and many students sent pillows and cushions flying to and forth in the room. Malik mastered it with in ten minutes.

Professor Flitwick clapped his hands in delight. "That is the fastest I've seen anybody learn it," he said happily. 

It took another fifteen minutes for Yugi, but Yami Bakura had yet to even get a pillow half way to him.

"That's fine," Flitwick had said, "It often takes over a month to learn."

Yami Bakura did not seem at all comforted. Even Neville seemed to be doing better than him, though his aim was off.

"I always knew you weren't very charming," Malik said, to Yami Bakura as the cushion he had just attempted to summon went flew further away.

Somehow, Yami Bakura's skill improved dramatically; the cushion he banished after that hit Malik square in the face.  

Yugi giggled; when those two fought over something as innocent as that and not tactics that could hurt someone, it was funny. 

Lunch was just sandwiches and salad. Because there was Astronomy class late that night, the rest of the afternoon was free.

"We got to go to the library," said Malik, after the three had finished eating.

"What?" said Yugi, who had been staring across the table. "Why?"

"Need to look something up, remember?" said Malik.

"Mumm, yeah…" said Yugi slowly.

"Good."

"I don't see why you dislike them so much, Hermione," said Ron, "A full break and what do they do? Go to the library."

"Be quiet."

Harry decided that this might not be the best time to tell her about the conversation of the night before.

The library seemed the same as before, dusty and with a librarian who did not trust students; the tomes of law remained the same as well, dull. The only bright side to any of it was that no girl showed up that could see what they were reading. However, perhaps one in the group considered it a pity…

***

Ginny sighed and paid little attention to what Dumbledore said, and it wasn't over Ryou. 

Counseling.

Her parents --to be frank-- could not afford it, so she had never seen a therapist. Only what she had heard was what see knew, and often the stories had differed. She supposed since there were two counselors, she could always switch…

"Ginny," said Professor Dumbledore said, interrupting her reverie. 

"Yes?" Ginny said, trying not to look startled. 

"When your mother knits, does she say 'knit one, purl three,' and such?" he asked.

"Um, sometimes," Ginny said, completely failing to see what it had to do with Defense Against the Dark Arts.

"Does that answer your question, Henrietta?"

"Sorry, Professor, no," replied Ginny's fellow classmate.

Dumbledore smiled and explained his reasoning while Ginny began to space out again.

Counseling…Well, I'll know what's like tomorrow's late afternoon, Ginny decided. 

By the time the bell rang, Ginny was the only one who was not confused (other than Professor Dumbledore). 

_Ryou…wonder where he would be…_Ginny exited class, and set of to find him.

***

Yami Bakura had decided next time he was felt that his light needed to be taught a lesson, one of the more entering (to him of course) was to have him read these damn books. Or maybe he should just try and burn the library… okay, not the most practical idea, but still, it gave him something to think about besides those accursed pages…

Malik slammed his book shut hard, earning him a glare from the librarian. At least this time he didn't yell 'sorry' across the library. "That's all I'm going to read to day. God, I've read more interesting things in those damn papyruses." 

"Well, if we don't look really closely, we might not see the loop hole," Yugi said.

Malik snorted.

Yami Bakura shoved his book aside. "We need the best lawyers in the world to wriggle out of it still," he muttered, switching the conversation into the Ancient Egyptian language, it was too easy to be over heard in there.

"Yugi could appeal to Kaiba telling him that having to visit a prison to duel his rival might not be the best of things," Malik suggested, also in Ancient Egyptian, taking Yami Bakura's hint.

Yugi, with Yami's help, figured out what to reply. "Good luck," he muttered in Ancient Egyptian, "You know how he feels about magic."

"Oh, yeah…" Malik said, "By the way, how did he take the news that you were going of to a school of magic?"

"I didn't tell him in person," said Yugi, "I just sent him an e-mail. His reply was something along the lines of that I was off on one of my little adventures and if I need help to try and get someone else first. The whole tone was rather scornful."

"Ryou told him personally," remarked Yami Bakura, "He thought it was rather silly and he just treated the matter like we were of to a boarding school, and his birthday present to my host early."

"Mh." Yugi said. He saw that it was a place that the subject could be changed and he had been rather curious about something, "Malik, that story you had told last night was rather…different from what I thought you'd end up telling."

"Well, it's technically true, most of it, and that was what the government was told, anyway. Once they had come up with a plausible explanation, Rishid as he was the closest thing to a living relative we had, so he was then our guardian."

"Though Rishid is your guardian," Yami Bakura pondered aloud, "He takes his orders from you, ones that could even kill him…hmm."

Malik glared. "I just remembered that I need to finish my letter to Isis." He left swiftly.

Yugi too glared at Yami Bakura. "Here's a little tip for getting along with people: use some tact," he said, almost disgustedly.

Yami Bakura glared back. His eyes then refocused on something past Yugi's shoulder. "Heads up, it's Ginny."

"What do you mean heads up? I like Ginny," asked Yugi hotly.

"The books?" suggested Yami Bakura.

"Oh!" Yugi quickly grabbed all the books on the table and rushed away, to reshelf them. 

"Hi," said Ginny, sitting on the seat next to 'Bakura'.

"Afternoon," he said politely.

"Just had Defense class," she remarked. "Dumbledore was being his usual eccentric self."

"I read something about that once or twice, but I wasn't sure about its reliability."

"Dumbledore _is_ off his rocker, but that's because he's floating above," Ginny said with wry smile. "Realistically though, I still can't see the connection between knitting and Defense…"

Yami Bakura shrugged. "Using the needles to gouge out their eyes?"

"I don't _think_ that's what he meant."

"Back, Bakura," Yugi said, with two books under his arm. "Hello, Ginny. I got these." Yugi placed the two books on the table, _Basic Spells for Fifth Years_ and _So Your Fourth Year Exam Is In Five Days…_

"You two trying to find some decent spells books to try and catch up?" asked Ginny after reading the books titles.

"Yep," Yugi replied.

"I could help, if you want," she added hurriedly. 

"Thank you," said Yugi happily.

Yami Bakura could have hit Yugi by the time they actual got around to checking out the books; a dozen each, as if the law books weren't enough.

***

Malik strode through the hallways, checking to make sure he didn't get confused and go the wrong way to the Gryffindor tower. 

_//Why not? It would be an adventure,//_ said the little voice of darkness.

/_BE QUIET!/_

_//Why?//_

/Because you nearly wrecked my life, making me hate you, and deciding you're barely tolerable when you're quiet and even less when you talk! So shut up!/

Yami Malik frowned as he completely retreated to his soul room. His plan was faulting badly…

It could be said that Malik was also not at all in a good mood. It was rather amazing he didn't snarl at Harry as they passed, and even managed a polite 'hello'.

"'Lo," replied Harry. "What are you doing right now?"

"Trying to get back up to the tower," Malik said.

"Well, then you might want to know that you're going in the wrong direction," Harry said.

"Oh."

"You and I can head back up now together, I just finished my errand."

As the walked up the second flight of stares, Harry cleared his throat and shot a glance at Malik, and then said nothing. Once they neared the end of the stairs, Harry cleared his throat again, but once more said nothing.

"Well, say it," said Malik, getting fed up. 

"Um, well, I what I'm about to say might seem a little offensive but," Harry said quickly.

"Oh, just say, you probably have more act than some people I know."

"Okay…" Harry took a deep breath, "I know it seems like what you said about your family last night seemed to have little impact on the other guys, no questions and such."

"Yeah," Malik said, "I usually get at least one."

"Um, yeah. Anyway, only Seamus has one muggle parent and he doesn't watch the news much, so what you said didn't hit a trigger really."

"Ah, but what about you? You've used a couple of expression which seem rather 'muggle' to me."

"My parents died when I was a baby, and I was sent to live with my aunt and uncle," Harry explained. "They completely abhorred magic."

"I know the type," Malik muttered, "Says it isn't real and such."

"They admit it's real, if you press them, but they hate it."

"Must be hard for you."

"They've had a grudge against me from day one," he said. 

Slowly, he told Malik about his childhood, and occasionally, Malik made remarks about his own how it compared to his own.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wind: *****_reading a book and looks up*_ Stella, chapter's over. *_looks around and then out a window_* She is outside, waiting for it to be delivered. She thinks it might come today, and she thought so as well yesterday. -_-u My turn to do the review responses.

**Review Reponses for Twenty-Seven:**

**DHASN, ze love machina, demon_shadow18b, Lily of the Shadow**, and **Curtis Zidane Ziraa**: Thanks!

**chrispy**: Thank you!

** Blood Aura**: No, no OCCs other than ones like Jena and such.

** yami chip**: Okaaayyy...

**Ice-Spirit Phoenix**: Thanks for reviewing now!

**yesim@-flamesofeternaldarkness**: Yes, poor guys. *_smothered laughs_*

**C.M Aeris Queen of Insanity**: Yeah, Stella has that problem sometimes too.

**Ryuu no Furui Yami**: No, we aren't, but I must complement you on your user name.

** Dark-necrophhia666**: They might, but's going to take something drastic... Go Bakuras!

**Ryou Bakura Obsessor**: Didn't quiet get that, but thanks.

**Lyn/Lin**: Yeah, it's a good thing. The reason that Shadi and Isis were laughing was because they had recently threatened Yami Bakura and had found it very funny… It was Stella's idea, so don't blame me! Bakura is a good actor, but his yami has very high standards. 

**BakaNeko-Chan**: This one didn't get up so soon, sorry. It was from the fifth book, one of things for an OWL...it was elaborated on some.

**AG the master**: You're welcome!

**Cettie-girl**: Only problem would be that it would damage them...then again...

**Windswift**: *_grins_* They had! I'll e-mail me at some point about the song, when the story begins to near the summer, 'kay?

Stella: *_still standing at the mailbox, mail truck comes and Stella comes back to the house a bounce_* IT"S HERE! *_runs to the DVD player and begins playing them._*

**Review Reponses for Twenty-Eight: **

**AG the master**: Yeah...

**Raven Scorne**: It's fine and White Angel's is still longer. This is being continued.

**Dragona 2007**: I haven't seen it before either, but then again now only five or six is the number of HP fanfics that Stella keeps up with.

**Pegasus' Niece**: *_smiles_* I probable would have guessed it was you, Stella would say high, but you can't get her away from the DVD player... Hope to see you soon (but not your yami).

**yesim@-flamesofeternaldarkness**: Cool about the birthday song. Nice rant. And long reviews are good!

**C.M Aeris Queen of Insanity**: So do Stella and I.

**Blood Cat**: I only watch it now to make fun of it, mostly. NEED TO GET BOX 4!!! Ryou's soul room has its reasons.

**YAMI CHIP**: Yep, chess is always quite a bit more fun that way!

**Cettie-girl, Ryou Bakura Obsessor****, Delphine Pryde, Curtis Zidane Ziraa, Sarah**, and **Windswift**: Thank you~!

**Mavelus**: Thanks, glad to have hooked you!

**Cherry-San**: Yeah, we have a soft spot for McGonagall.

Stella: And I thought they edited the knife out a lot… Wind, come here, just look at this. Seto's using his cards. Oh my gosh… the end song is LOADED with meanings…

Wind: *_watches it the song_* Stella, GET YOUR MIND OUT OF THE GUTTER.

Stella: It's in the shower, really…


	30. Ch 30: Stars and Potions

Stella: I had flu and I'm still getting over it.

Disclaimer: See last chapter.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter Thirty: Stars and Potions

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ron looked at the clock in the common room. "Twenty 'til midnight. Time for Astronomy class."

Harry yawned. "Uh, yeah, yeah, guess I'd better wake up Seamus." He shook Seamus by his shoulder.

"Mh?" Seamus said sleepily, "Oh, class."

"Yeah," said Hermione, who yawned as well. "I wish we'd gotten one of the Friday night spaces," she muttered darkly, "Then we could actual sleep in a bit." 

"I wish today was Friday," murmured Ron, shaking his head.

"So do I," Neville said, from a near by armchair "I looked at the class schuld—"

"Damn," Ron said suddenly as he tried to stand up.

Hermione gave him a disapproving look. 

"What? There's no first years around," Ron pointed out, wincing.

"Still," Hermione said firmly. "And what's the matter?" She looked at his pained face curiously.

"My whole leg went to sleep and now I've got pins and needles," Ron explained.

"Smart it," Harry muttered. "Wish I could go to sleep…"

"Oh," Hermione said, she stood up and walked over to Ron, "Here, let me help." She began to massage his calf muscles.

Harry watched though half lidded eyes, smiling. He wondered what they would do next… He had long suspected they had a little bit more then 'just friends' feelings for one another. It would be rather nice for a change to have them hugging instead of fighting. That was of course if they didn't like to fight… 

Because students were not allowed out of the common rooms after ten, a professor always had to led them in mass to Astronomy class. The first class for the fifth years was no exception, and Professor McGonagall arrived.

Hermione glanced up and happened to see the Professor stepping into the common room. 

She blushed. Hard.

McGonagall seemed not to have noticed what Hermione had been doing, but judging from, the twinkle in her eye and the slight quirk of at the corners of her lips, she'd noticed. 

Harry stretched and stood, up, while Ron did the same.

"Ready to go, Professor," Hermione reported, with her blush abating. 

"Not, quite," McGonagall said, "You have forgotten Mr. Mutou, Mr. Bakura, and Mr. Ishtal."

"I'm sorry," Hermione said, "I should have remembered."

"We had better go wake them," Harry said.

Minerva nodded.

The professor and Harry climbed the stairs. Harry saw a shine under the fifth year boy's dormitory's door, probably meaning one of them had left the candles burning, or was still awake. McGonagall opened the door and Harry saw that 'Ryou' was still up, sitting on his bed, three books spread about him, and his wand was in hand.

Yami Bakura made a quick flick and swish "_Wingardiuem Leviosa,_ " The book in front of him rose half an inch and fell back onto the back on to the bed. He glared at the wand, "You're half dark too," he muttered, cryptically. He looked up. "Hello, Professor."

"Good evening to you as well."

"Um," Yami Bakura put on his best Ryou attitude, "Any reason you came here?" he asked, changing his voice to sound younger.

"You have class tonight," Harry said, abashed he had not said anything.

"What? Really?" Yami Bakura asked. He had been sitting here on this bed for the last three hours when he could have been…uh…doing something…what he could have done? Ra, how boring life was, all he could do was study or read one of Ryou's books. Therefore, even if he had known, what would he have done? "Well, I guess we should go."

"Sorry I hadn't told you," Harry said, still feeling as though it was his fault. 

Yami Bakura rolled his eyes. "I'll wake up Malik," he vaulted of his bed by way of the footboard. He shook Malik's shoulder.

Malik groaned. "Go away, Isis… You can go to work with or without my goodbye," he said though his pillow.

Yami Bakura shook his shoulder again. 

"I don't want to get up, Rishid, I mean Isis," Malik muttered.

Yami Bakura spied the glass of water Malik had taken with him to drink. He grinned. His hand darted to it. 

"Ryo—" Harry said, seeing the plan. 

Yami Bakura grinned a touch too innocently and tipped the glass. "Yes, Harry?"

Harry only shook his head. 

Malik sputtered. "What was that for?" he asked, now awake, and mopping up his face with his blanket.

"It was one of the fastest ways to wake you up," Yami Bakura said with widened eyes. 

Malik glared. "You did that on propose," he accused.

"Course I did," answered Yami Bakura.

"That's not what I meant," muttered Malik.

"Call it pay back for a certain trick…" Yami Bakura said his eyes narrowing.

"That wasn't m— Oh." Malik remembered that Yami Bakura had disliked using Bakura as a shield against god cards. "You're still angry about that?"

"Guess," stated Yami Bakura flatly.

Malik chuckled feebly. "Yeah? Um…sorry?"

Yami Bakura glared. 

Malik began to get fed up with Yami Bakura's righteous attitude. "Oh, you aren't precisely the saint either. Bet you've done it loads of times."

"Only when I knew it would work."

"See? I was positive then he wouldn't attack."

"His hand clenched. He would have," retaliated Yami Bakura.

"That happened because it was a difficult decision."

Yami Bakura glared. "If I had let it happen I would be just as bad as _him_."

Malik tried to suppress his instinct to pale. He knew that Yami Bakura meant his yami. 

"And you would have probably continued down the same path, and in likelihood would still be on it."

Malik glared. He opened his mouth to retort.

"Um," Harry said and both turned to look at him. He tried not to cower under the intensity of their gaze. Some small, disconnected part of his brain whispered it would be interesting to see what would happen if they met Voldemort while in this mood. Then that small part of his mind wished devoutly that he wouldn't be around in a five-mile radius if it happened. He mentally shook his head; these boys barely knew how to uses their wands. "You might want to wake up Yugi…" he said cautiously.

Malik venomously looked at Yami Bakura on last time and tried to wake the other boy.

"Grandfather, if you need some one to save the world, ask Yami," Yugi muttered and rolled over.

"I thought his nickname was Yami," Harry said, his brow furrowed.

"It is, but it's also the name of his cousin as well," Malik quickly lied. 

"Must be confusing when they're both around," Harry remarked.

"Not really," said Yami Bakura absently as he tried to wake Yugi. 

Yugi rolled over.

Yami Bakura tried again.

"Go away, unless you're _her_ of course, then there's room in this bed for two," Yugi sleep-murmured. 

Though McGonagall had a disapproving look, Malik looked amused.

"Her…?" repeated Malik speculatively, "Well, well, well. And here I was thinking that he could like Jounochi… If he'd do that," Malik said, referring to the incident that involved an anchor, "What would he do for this 'her'…?"

Yami Bakura however was more concerned. Yugi would never say something like that when he was awake, and what he had said about Yami had also been… unwise. If Yugi was to say something that wasn't as…well one couldn't say innocent about the last comment, but harmless would work. He had an idea of what could wake him, but there was a chance that it wouldn't work in the right way, but then again what was there to lose? He leaned closer and whispered a single word. "Duel."

"Kaiba, only you would do something like this… no duel. And no duels with me until you admit that Isis is right."

Yami Bakura frowned. This was progressing badly.

***

_Yugi frowned and let go._

_Again his hair fell down; a book weighted down each end. _

_"You could cut it," suggested the mirror._

_"No thank you, George." Yugi said, defeated._

_The single twin in the mirror, shrugged and left, turning the mirror a misty, swirling fog. Slowly, it cleared, and Yugi could once again see could see his reflection in the mirror. _

_Something stirred in him, and he leaned closer to look at himself. Violet eyes stared back; his hair somehow had become free of its burden and sprung back up. His reflection stared back…and the half smile that Yugi had almost all the time turned to a frown._

_Yugi was stared by this sudden change and backed away. His hand felt his mouth, to feel if he had been the one who had changed or if the mirror had. His corners of his mouth were upturned._

_The image in the mirror, it's eyes narrowed and it's hair changed, spiking upwards and back a little. _

_Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew what the image was without thinking he designated the image. "Other me," he whispered._

_The other Yugi nodded, and faded out, to be replaced by a dark fog…_

_No, not fog, that little part of his mind informed him, the Shadow Realm._

_Yugi turned slowly and walked out of the room that only contained a mirror. He walked, and realized that somehow, he had gone to the middle of a garden. _

_It was a nice garden, with a dragon whose head was lifted and water poured out._

_"Hey, Yugi," said Jounochi._

_"Hey, it's been a while right?"_

_"No, not really," said the blonde, shaking his head._

_"But why has it been a while?" asked Yugi._

_"You know, but don't know why."_

_"Yes, you're right." Yugi knew he knew but didn't know. The information would come. _

_***_

"Well," said Malik, "That didn't work."

"Do you have any better ideas?" asked Yami Bakura acidly.

"Well, beside the thought that if one of us had tried to take it when he slept it would have saved a lot of trouble, no."

Yami Bakura shifted his stance. With his back now partially turned to Malik, he asked over his shoulder, "Consider what would have happened even if you had succeeded in taking it… Friends would have figured out who did it…" Yami Bakura let the sentence hang. Malik would figure out what it meant. Rishid would have been the one who would have taken the blame, and with Jounochi, Honda, and Otogi on board, things could have gotten bad for Rishid. Bad enough for him to lose awareness, and once Rishid lost consciousness, Yami Malik would have come out.

An understanding gradually filtered into Malik's eyes, and stubbornness as well. 

"And with the Puzzle gone…" Yami Bakura let this sentence as well trail away, and left 'there would be no Pharaoh to save you,' unsaid.

Malik glared, his hands clenched into fist, his arms hang stiffly by his side and his eyes, though his face was blank, were a darkened purple, with black embers as pupils. 

Yami Bakura felt the darkness, and knew what was happening. Malik was losing control, but he wasn't letting his yami go, only his faint control of what he did with magic…and not the type that was controlled by a wand, but the other type.

***

"Yugi," sounded over the tingle of wind chimes that were half hidden and the fountain's splashing. Almost half way across the large square that formed the center of the garden. Isis Ishtal stood on the other side of the moss covered square. "Isis," Yugi said, acknowledging her. 

She nodded. Then across the time and space, on who had an Item sensed it. A ping, if one could call it that, resounded. "Malik…" she whispered.

_"Bakura," Jounochi added._

_"Stop them, whatever they're doing," Isis pled. _

***

Harry was worried. 'Ryou' and Malik where glaring at the each other in mutual hatred, his instincts yelled for him to get out of there _now_, but they were friends and after what had happened that summer in a graveyard, he would not let them fight. Double so, since McGonagall also seemed rather concerned, and if they did try and hex the other or something, both would probably be dragged to the Headmaster's office.

Suddenly, Yugi sat erect. "Malik, Bakura, stop." His blonde bangs completely covered his forehead and something seemed to glint beneath them. "Now," he commanded.

Malik was the first to break away form his fighting stance, but Yami Bakura fallowed his example. 

"I'll be waiting," he said, and left the room, almost shoving past Harry. 

Yugi looked at Malik and raised an eyebrow hidden by his hair. He noticed the professor, with her calculating expression and Harry, with his almost fearfully. "Um… hello?" he said, nervous. "Why are you here?" Scenarios rushed through his mind. Perhaps they had looked at the books he and the other two where looking at, perhaps they knew about the dark games, maybe they had come to take him aw—

//_Light, what's wrong?_// asked Yami disturbed from his nightly wandering in the maze.

/_I don't know_,/ Yugi told him, /_But I think something is_./ Quickly he flashed the pictures and feelings over to Yami to let him know.

_//I'm sure it's relatively harmless,//_ Yami assured him.

/_Then explain the shadow magic_./

Yami was silent.

"Yugi," said the professor. "Your classmates might not have told you, but there's Astronomy class tonight.

"Sorry," Harry apologized.

"I should have checked the schedule," Yugi said, placing the blame mostly on himself. "Professor, what would I need?" He walked over to his dress and pulled out a robe and put it over his pajamas, and then shoved his feet into a pair of boots.

"Your telescope and your copy of _A Journey in the Skies_."

"Got them," Yugi said.

"So do I," answered Malik.

Yugi thought back for a minute. Yami Bakura had left without a bag so it was unlikely that he took them with him. And even more unlikely, Yugi decided, because he had left his telescope and books. Yugi took pity and grabbed them as well.

Harry saw Malik's expression tighten. 

"Come," said Professor McGonagall.

Once back in the common, McGonagall opened the portrait door, and them. 

Yami Bakura moved towards the head of the line to talk with her in a low voice. Malik let the rest of the sleepy group pass him until he was the end of it, with Ron and Seamus. 

Yugi remained with Harry, near the middle.

Harry cleared his throat. "Malik and Ryou were fighting before you woke," he said quietly.

Yugi nodded. He half remembered his dream, but that would account for it. "I thought it was something like that."

"Yeah, you did tell them to knock it off."

"I only figured something was wrong with the two of them," Yugi explained.

Harry shrugged. "Before they started arguing they were trying to wake you up…"

"Hmm, I'm not a light sleeper, but I do wake up when some one tries that…"

"Sorry, that I didn't tell you earlier," Harry apologized. 

"Harry, it's okay."

"You could have missed the lesson and got into a lot of trouble."

Yugi smiled. "Don't try and carry the world on your back."

Harry was unsure how to respond and finally said, "You did mummer though."

"What?" Yugi asked.

"Though you didn't wake up easy, you did mutter in your sleep," Harry explained.

"Oh?" asked Yugi. "What was I muttering?"

"Something about that you wouldn't duel someone named Kaiba."

Yugi chuckled. "What else?"

"Telling us to go away, 'unless you're _her_ of course, then there's room in this bed for two' is what you said." Harry gave him a sideways glance. "Who is she by the way…?"

"I have no idea." Yugi blushed.

"_Sure_."

***

Yami Bakura let his feet lead him to the professor.

"Hello, Mr. Bakura," she said, nodding.

"Evening."

"So…" she said slowly, "I'm getting the feeling that you and Malik don't get along to well now."

Yami Bakura sighed. "He and I get along sometimes, then we do fight like we did earlier, and occasionally," Yami Bakura's eyes darkened, as did his voice, "We fight even more poisonously then that."

McGonagall nodded. "I've known one or two friendships like that." She smiled, remembering.

"I'm sure you have," Yami Bakura said.

McGonagall detected the hint of sarcasm in his voice. _Teenagers, _she thought fondly, _always think they know more then their elders. _That thought triggered a memory of a class long ago.

_"Minerva!"_

_A young sixteen-year-old Minerva McGonagall turned to see her best friend running to catch up with her. "Hurry up, Sibyll," she yelled down the hallway. "I don't want to be late for Advance Transfiguration!"_

_"My Inner Eye tells me that we won't miss the important thing," Sibyll said mistily, slowing a little._

_Minerva rolled her eyes. She had chosen Ancient Runes and Muggle Studies (she had tried Arithmancy as well, but had flunked in her the year before) as her electives. Sibyll had also chosen Ancient Runes, but her other class was Divination. Every since their fourth year, she had been saying junk like that. It was more then getting on her nerves, it was driving her nuts. "Sure," she said sarcastically, and shook her head. "Siby, I said something to that effect two days ago, but that was for Professor Mitch, not _Dumbledore_."_

_"All the profs are alike to me, except for Professor Alexian, of course."_

_Minerva rolled her eyes again. She had met her once or twice and hadn't thought much of her. _

_"Nerva-a," Sibyll whined, "Don't do that. Professor Alexian is quite highly respected in the most circles of fortune tellers."_

_Minerva didn't think much of that claim to fame.  "Come on," she said._

_Sibyll shrugged. _

_Together the two girls rushed to the classroom, barely beating the bell. Minerva took a fount row seat, and Sibyll long used to this took the seat beside her that their classmates left free out of habit._

_Professor Dumbledore entered a couple minutes late, as usual. "Hello!" he said cheerily. "Today we're going to work more on transforming furniture."_

_This was met with moans._

_"Yes, I know that this is boring," he said, "But this is something you must be able to do in your sleep before you try to do human transformations."_

_"But I can do human transformations," protested Amy Thornsten._

_Dumbledore smiled. "You were supposed to transform into a horse, not a six foot tall purple and brown striped flamingo. You all were given a chance to transform your self last year and all of you botched it one way or another."_

_Minerva frowned at the memory. She had been trying for snow leopard, as large transformations were the easiest to do and had end up a tiger._

_"But I know what I did wrong Professor," protested Amy._

_"We all do," added Minerva._

_Amy gave her a surprised look and then a grin. It wasn't often Minerva supported her; but Amy hadn't heard what Minerva had added under her breath, 'enrolling in the class in the first place and not taking Defense Against the Dark Arts like your Head recommended.'_

_Dumbledore leaned against his desk. "I'm sorry, but you're all teenagers who think they know more than their elders. To get a human transformation right you need to know this in your bones."_

_Minerva stood up, her chair screeching as it passed over the titles of the floor. She had just seen the chance she had wanted. "Oh Prof, I beg to differ." She let the spell she had finished only two weeks ago overtake her. With a small _pop_ she became a tortoiseshell cat. She hopped up onto her desk and looked at Professor Dumbledore. _

_She purred._

McGonagall shook her head. It had been a long time since she had last thought of those days. Sibyll now locked herself away in her tower, trying to predict the future, and she now taught Transfiguration and could see the reason Dumbledore had told the class they need to know their stuff better. She also now taught that you needed to be a registered Animagus. She hadn't known that you had to then, and the legal paperwork had been an absolute horror to work on. Still…she half yearned for those times. Now her friends were few and far between and she put her ability to converse with cats to use to keep tabs on the students, not to help them avoid the caretaker and professors at night.

"Professor?" asked 'Ryou Bakura,' looking concerned.

"Hu, oh, sorry," she said, startled. "I-I was just remembering something." She forced a laugh. "An mind can sometimes play tricks on one."

'Ryou' looked thoughtful. "No, not just an old one, too," he added softly. "I've sat for over an hour sometimes to remember something."

"Well—" McGonagall started to say. She saw Professor Dumbledore almost jogging past them. "Headmaster," she said surprised, "What—"

Dumbledore made a motion that he would talk to her later and continued to nearly jog past them.

McGonagall frowned, disturbed, and in no mood to continue talking. Something had Dumbledore running, not from it of course, but perhaps to…what could have happened…? "Pick up the pace!" she yelled over her shoulder. Though the lesson she was taking them to was two hours, she doubted that she could find Dumbledore in that time. Besides, if what he was looking into involved You-Kn— no, Voldemort, she should stay with the students. She had noticed that Voldemort forever was trying to rid himself of Harry, perhaps because of the hope he had brought but whatever the reason, she would have to protect him and the other students. She sighed. It had been a long time since last she had thought in that mentality. It was war-like, and she hated it. 

They arrived at the class and the classroom. Taking out telescopes, they looked at the stars and answered review questions from the professor. Yami Bakura refrained from answering after he had said the wrong answer for the North Star; he had been recalling about an utterly different set of stars. Yami Bakura also kept quite because he was irritated that it was now useless bits like this were all he could remember, hell, he couldn't even remember what his old name was, or what he used to wear. 

Yugi found the class utterly worthless and muttered all the way back down to the house's tower.

***

Harry swore as he looked at the time and his schedule. 

"What god damn sadist decided that Potions should be the morning after we've been up past one?" Ron asked, trying to pull his robe over his head and failing (he was trying to put his head through the arm hole).

"Try Snape," said Harry, distracted.

They had woken to Deans cries of 'oh sweet lord, no' and even since then things had been going wrong. Ryou must have gotten up early (Harry half thought that he never slept) and gone down to breakfast, thinking he could meet them down there. Well, Harry hoped that was the case. Ryou would not score high at all in Snape's book if he was late or didn't come at all for his first Potions class. 

"Maybe he was really hungry?" suggested Ron, whose thoughts were fallowing the same path as Harry's. "I mean he ate very little last night."

"I hope so," said Yugi.

_ /And for more reasons than one,/_ he added.

/_/Because that would mean that his light would be back in charge of the body, right?//_

/_Yeah, and think I need to have a talk with him./_

_//If you ask me at some point soon we'll all need to sit down and have a talk…and this even halfway include the dark of Malik.//_

_/That makes it rather serious, if you're willing and wanting to talk to him…/_

_//Light, some ground rules need to be established, some things need to discussed without any one storming out and such.//_

_/Oh_./ Yugi's mind reflected back the incidents at the Burrow…had it been less than a month ago he had not known about all this? It felt more like an age to him. Ryou and he had always gotten along, as long as the yami had not come into play. But once the Ring's spirit was in the equitation…

Yugi sighed. He was starting to miss the time less than a year ago when the only thing that he ever really worried about was if Anzu liked him and if he would ever be able to go out with her and not look ridiculous, because of his height.

Of course if that happened that would mean that he would never had made friends with Jounochi or Honda. Mokuba would have to deal with a Kaiba who was still cold. And Bakura would probable be having even worse problems and Malik would likely have long succumbed to his dark. What a pretty picture that painted, a world with hidden darkness.

_//Hikari, even if you hadn't solved the puzzle, there would still be Isis and Shadi. Both of who are dedicated to persevering a peace. And something in my heart tells me that fate would bring us together some how.//_

_/Thanks, Yami, but, still, I can't help but to ponder the what ifs of life./_

_//Then ponder them_,// Yami replied sensibly, //_Just remember that's the here and now we live in not an alternative future. And don't start with alternate universes either_!// Yami said quickly as he felt his Yugi's mind begin to trend toward that direction. 

_/You were the one who suggested it!/_ mock protested Yugi.

_//Um, this conversation is very interest and such but could you please consider continuing it after you've found Bakura_?//

_/Oh, yeah, right./_ With a slight sigh Yugi turned his attention back to world.

Not much had changed, the other boys trying to find their copies of the textbook, and such. Yugi was already prepared, as he didn't have three years worth of old essays to look for to find the one he was supposed to do over the summer. 

"Um," he said quietly, "Dean, I've heard a little bit about this professor, but I was hoping that you could give me a different view, what _is_ Snape like?"

Dean paused, his hand stilling their rampage thought his sock drawer. "He is…" Dean's hands slowed, and more carefully began to move again. "Tough." Dean switched tactics and opened the drawer under the current one to search. "Difficult." Dean expression turned to ecstasy as he thought he had found his paper, but as he pulled it out he saw it was "only" one of his posters. "He favors his house and dislikes ours." He searched the drawer to the side. "He's mostly neutral to Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw." He began to search the last drawer of the dresser. "He does teach you the stuff though."

"Not me," Neville said mournfully. "And I can't even find my essay…"

"It's on your bookcase," Dean said absently, "You told me last night because you said you were afraid you'd forget it."

"Thanks!" Neville said, cheering up.

"So, even though I'm new and had no idea about the essay, Snape might still expect it from me?" asked Yugi, nervous.

"Probably, best of luck, mate." Dean had rolled his jeans to pack them in what he believed to an economical way to pack them, so each pair had to be unrolled. As he neared the last in the pile, Yugi could see that Dean was becoming a little pit more than nervous. Terrified would have been a good word. However, fortunately, the scroll rolled on to the ground in front of Dean as he unrolled the last pair. "Don't worry though," he said climbing to his feet, "Professor Spout is filling in this week for Snape." He tapped Yugi on the shoulder his rolled essay.

"WHAT?" exclaimed Ron.

"Why?" Harry asked.

"Why didn't you say so?" asked Neville.

"Who said?" asked Seamus, the most logical question of all, as it was a school.

"My cousin, you know the one in Ravenclaw," Dean said.

"Has she been mad at you recently?" asked Neville.

"No, it's totally reliable," Dean said happily. 

"Why didn't you say this earlier, man?" asked Seamus.

"Because it was fun to see you panic," Dean said, backing up a little seeing the expression on Seamus face. "Well, who knows, Spout could want our essays…"

"But I can't do it in less than an hour," protested Yugi. 

"I think she'd understand," Neville said quietly. "I should know, I'm one of her best students," he said, a little proud. 

Yugi nodded, a little comforted. A little because he would still have to write one on a subject he knew nothing about. It looked like it would quite a while until Anzu got his letter. He hoped she was okay, and wouldn't worry too much. He also wished that the school had telephones. The day before he had asked Ginny where the phones were and she had just wrinkled her brow until she remembered they were muggle devices. Of course after she figured that out the answered was there weren't. Pity, Yugi needed to just talk with someone; Bakura had retreated completely, Yami Bakura and Malik were fighting again, and Yami Malik seemed to be up to something. 

//_And what do I count as?// _asked Yami.

_/Sorry don't mean to offend you, but…/_

_//But you want to talk to her any way?//_ Yami teased.

_/I want to talk to them all, really./_

_//Even Kaiba?//_

_/Yeah, even Kaiba. I just feel a bit lonely here. Malik and the Ring's spirit fighting… And Hermione is giving us the cold shoulder, so both Ron and Harry are staying a bit of a distance from us when she's around. They both do it automatically./_

_//Well, you could always hang out with Fred and George more.//_

_/No thank you./_

_//What abo--//_

"Still," said Harry, wondering, "Why isn't Snape teaching it…?"

***

Yami Bakura stalked down yet another aisle of books. Two hours and the only law books he had found were on dragons. He wasn't even sure why he was looking now. He had never worried about rules, so the only other presumption was that he was bored out of his mind, as usual. There were days when he just thought that maybe getting sent to the Shadow Realm, or even to the next plane, the afterlife, would be more exciting. Of course that would mean that he would probably would have to face the gods… maybe entertainments wasn't so hot after all. 

He wasn't afraid of just one, after all, the Pharaoh was son of the gods, supposedly, but when it was ten plus, he started to get a little antsy. Only some one insanely brave wouldn't. He had also noticed that the insanely brave rarely made it to twenty. 

He was over a thousand, sorta.

He let his fingers run across the books as he walked by, idly wondering whether he should try and show up at breakfast and try and choke down something. He read the tiles of the books indifferently, until one caught his eye. It had hieroglyphs running up and down it's spine, obviously a background for the title, _Egyptian Magical Artifacts_. He took it down and sat in a nearby, secluded chair and sat to read. Of course the first thing he did was to go to the index and looked up shadow games. He found nothing, but that could have meant nothing, so he looked up other names, dark games, evil games, tablets, and games, but though he found one or two things listed, none of it was about the game Duel Monsters had descended from. 

He flipped open the book back to the introduction, and draped himself across the chair and read.

***

Yugi muttered a choice word. Bakura was nowhere to be found and he now had to almost run to get to class in time. He had looked everywhere he could, but nothing. He was worried, and not just because Bakura was going to miss class, but, as always, what the reason was…

He skidded though the door to the classroom with less than a minute to spare. Almost panting, he looked for a place to sit. Malik was in the back, and the seat right beside him was empty, but Malik hadn't been too supportive of him looking for Bakura. And Hermione, who avoided looking at him, occupied the seat between Harry and Ron. He need to find a way to apologized to her soon, even though he didn't see anything wrong with playing that game of chess. 

"Mr. Mutou, please take a seat," Professor Spout said, sweeping into the room. She glanced about. "By Neville, please. You'll be his partner"

Yugi shrugged. He let his bag thump on the desk and slid into his chair.

"Trying to minimize the amount of failed potions by Gryffindor?" muttered Malfroy.

"I heard that," the Professor said, turning towards the black board. "Ten points from Slytherin. Next time someone makes a comment such as that it will twice as many points, regardless of house."

She took roll call and paused only long enough to note that Ryou Bakura wasn't there. Yugi had tried to say something in his defense, but the professor told him that Bakura would have to speak for himself to Snape. She then announced that they were doing a review of antidotes. 

Yugi did decently. As class let out two hours later Harry congratulated Neville on doing better in that single class than he did in a month of Snape's class, and helping Yugi.

Neville flushed at the compliment. "I just always seem to go to pieces in that class—"

"That might be because Snape is your worse fear…" Ron pointed out dryly. 

"Yeah," Neville said morosely. 

"Can Snape really be that bad?" asked Yugi. 

"Yugi, my friend, hope Snape shall remain wherever he is forever. You do not want to know," Ron said sagely, an arm around the other boys shoulders.

Hermione's lips tightened, she recognized that soon the four boys would soon be talking happily, and once more, she'd feel left out. "Library," she said automatically, "See you at Hagrid's."  She was not going to hang around. 

Hermione stalked down the corridors, trying not to fume. She _was_ irritated with Harry and Ron, but she was also irritated with herself. She knew she was holding a grudge against the three foreign students, but she could hardly back down, besides, she disliked stupidity, which the whole game had smacked of. But…

Jena had always been too curious for her own good, Hermione remembered, and she had done things that could also be classified in that category… Hermione made a mental note to check the Infirmary; she hadn't seen Jena at all that day. 

She stepped into the library and let the feel of comfort books always had for her wash over her. Books, the library had thousands, and she could not hope to read even half of them, unless she stayed as long as Dumbledore, which would not be a bad thing, considering. It seemed like a great option to her, she could long, nice vacations over the summer and she would be able to talk the other professors, and would be able to help students, and perhaps even have a favored one… She smiled, that was one of the things that kept her going when she felt like this. She knew she wasn't abandoned; she had left the others of her own free will, but that could not help her feelings.

She hated being a teenager with mood swings.

Walking down the shelves devoted to Charms, she spotted Ryou Bakura out of the corner of her eye. _So this is where he is…with a very thick book too, wonder what's on._ Feeling a little more kindly intentioned, she walked over.

"Hey," she said softly.

'Ryou's' head came up and he looked at her like he had not seen or heard. "Oh, hi."

"You missed Potions," she said dryly.

He muttered something in Japanese. "Not good," he said.

"Yeah," Hermione agreed, "But at least it wasn't Snape."

"It wasn't?" asked Yami Bakura curious of this new bit of information.

"Yeah, and Sprout, who filled in for him wouldn't tell us why. Many people asked, even Neville didn't get any response."

"Hm." A piece that didn't fit. Hermione Granger seemed to be someone who would be helpful, and plus it would benefit him to get on her good side, because then he could talk to Harry and Ron without her glaring. He wasn't trying to build a social life for himself, but for Ryou. If Ryou was well established, less suspicions would be raised about him and his other side when the odd things started to happen. Yami Bakura was willing to bet there would be something, after all it was a school for wizards, and there seemed to be some evil guy.

"What are you reading?" asked Hermione.

Yami Bakura, using his index finger as a bookmark, closed it and showed her the title.

"Ah." She nodded. 

Yami Bakura shrugged. "It is interesting enough."

"Enough to have you miss class, evidently," Hermione said dryly. 

Yami Bakura glared, and opened his mouth. 

/_Hey, I was wondering,_/ Ryou said, /_If I could go into your soul room?/_

Yami Bakura was taken aback by this question. _Maybe,_ he figured,_ My _hikari_ is starting to get bored. _Which was a good thing, because that might mean that he could let Ryou have the body back sooner. 

//Okay, you can go in, just a second though, don't try and open the door by yourself.//

/_I know _that,/ Ryou replied. 

Yami Bakura figured he was also remembering the one incident he had tried to open Ryou's door when Ryou wasn't there. It had caused both of them quite a bit of pain, and Ryou had nearly fainted at a busy subway station. 

_/Having something like that happen in class would hardly help,/ _ Ryou dryly added.

//_Actually, it's right now break.//_

_/Well, not so much than./_

_//Maybe…but it could also be worse, because right now I'm talking to Hermione, and she seems to be upset about the chess game.//_ Yami Bakura thought for a second, it was Ryou's social life after all, so shouldn't Ryou handle her? //_I'll make you a deal, you talk to her for a bit and get rid of her and I'll open my soul room door once you're done.//_

Ryou thought for a second. /_Sure,/_ he finally consented. 

Yami Bakura let himself ebb out and let Ryou's conscience flow in. 

Ryou's eyes darted around. Books, and many of them, he was in the library then, and he curbed his instinct to go begin to explore them immediately. He felt a weight on his and one of his fingers was squeezed. He bought the book to waist level, to see what it was. A book about Egypt, of course, but though he too wanted to look at it, he had a curiousness about Yami Bakura's soul room for a much longer time, and to get there he must fulfill his side.

He made eye contact with Hermione. "Umm… I've heard that you didn't really like the three of us playing chess."

Hermione nodded, maintaining eye contact. "No, I didn't."

"I know that you probably think it was some stupid thing we did to try and impress people."

Hermione didn't nod or shake her head.

"Um, I can sympathize with that, but, um…" Ryou's inspiration dried up. "One of my few defenses, I guess, is that Yugi was fighting with us."

Hermione raised an eyebrow. 

"Really! I know of only a handful of times that Yugi has lost, and each time there's a reason to explain it." 

//_Which you aren't going to explain.//_

_/Do you think I'm that foolish?/_

Hermione looked at him and for a fully minute they stared at each other. Something glimmered in her eyes, but Ryou wasn't sure what it was.

"Hermione-san, I am very sorry that might have caused you any distress." Ryou bowed to her like he would in Japan. His slight Japanese accents were quickly calculated to have her think a little more kindly.

"Well…" Hermione shrugged. "I guess I can't point fingers too much. I went up against it in my first year. But," she said, holding up a hand to forestall his accusations, "I was helping Harry and Ron."

It was Ryou's turn to shrug. "Truce?" He offered his hand to shake.

"Truce." She shook it. She glanced at the clock. "We've got Care of Magical Creatures next." She shook her head. "Me not dropping this course knowing what it's like shows you where I can be a little foolish sometimes too.

Ryou's brow furrowed. Hermione did not have any look of foolishness about her.

Hermione must have seen it in his face. "Our Professor, Hagrid, thinks dangerous is cuddly."

Ryou shut his eyes. Maybe he should have taken Arithmancy.  

/_You can take over now,_/ he told his yami faintly. 

//_Yeah, door is open, but I don't know how long it will stay that way…// _Yami Bakura took over. //_By the way, I forgot about Potions class.//_ He cut the link.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Review Responses:

BakaNeko-Chan, ExBobble06, Ryou Bakura Obsessor, Ice-Spirit Phoenix, Evergladelord, Phoenix Lumen: Thanks!

Lady Keo: Ryou is just depressed and hiding in his soul room.

Cettie-girl: The titles just came to me. Wonder where Yugi got the so the dream from

Curtis Zidane Ziraa: Well, they're hoping they can find a loophole

C.M Aeris Queen of Insanity: Suffering is good…as long as it isn't you.

Bakura and Egypt lover: Thanks, but as I decided, Yami Bakura doesn't remember much.

GirlMaverick: Been meaning, but I just keep forgetting.

 Mimiheart: Yeah, I know that I've got that problem in general, but didn't know about that one. I'm having trouble with beta readers. Know any good ones?

DHASN: Thanks for the long review, even if parts left me somewhat confused.

Yami's-Girl: Well, ask at counter at your local anime store, or go try E-bay. 

shadow-demon18b Mind? Why would I mind that?

Linda: They found out about the three Unforgivables and one of them is real close to taking over some one like the yamis do or what the Rod does.

Lady Absolution: Read it long ago. It's on my favorites list.

 yesim@-flamesofeternaldarkness: Frosty the Hit Man?

 AG the master: It's not what it means…just what it can imply.

Windswift: Long is fine. 

 Lyn/Lin: I'm not going to say anything about pairings.


	31. Ch 31: Questions

Stella: Late and short with no review responses. The Excuses: the floppy drive isn't working well, so getting stuff onto the one computer that can uploaded it to here is trouble; sick, again; in my Japanese class, we're having quizzes twice a week. If any of these are found lacking, I also blame the world! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Chapter Thirty One: Questions

  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Professor McGonagall watched the last of the seventh year Slytherins file out of the classroom with impatience. The night before, when taking the fifth year Gryffindors up to Astronomy class, she had crossed paths with the Headmaster. He had been in a hurry at the time, and his expression concerned.

And that now concerned her.

She had seen him twice since then, each time form a distance, and each time she had not the time to stop and talk to him. However, the first year Hufflepuffs who normal would have been taught by her then, where learning how to fly. Ordinarily, she would have half-heartedly (she remembered what had happened five years ago) muttered about how academics should come before sports, but now that gave her the much needed time to seek out Dumbledore. Quickly, she did a sweep over the room to make sure no student had forgotten something, and left.

She found Albus in the first place she checked: his office. Predictably, filling out some paperwork, which the management of the school seemed to require.

"Ah, Minerva," he exclaimed, putting down his quill.

She did not responded and without any preamble asked, "Well? Spill, what happened last night?!"

Dumbledore sighed a little and tapped his fingers on his desk. Not the fast beat of one who was impatient, but a slow, rhythmic, drumming beat.

"What was it?"

Dumbledore's fingers stilled. He looked up at her gravely. "I'm not sure."

McGonagall slowly sank into one of the chairs in front of the desk, crunching the parchment that was piled on it. "You have…" she whispered slowly, "No idea?"

"None."

"Details? If any…"

Dumbledore shrugged. "There's not much to tell. I was working in here, felt some odd magic, rushed out, and tried to figure out what it was or where, and then lost it. So I tore around the whole castle for about half the night."

"That something."

"Not much," Dumbledore said, his tone tinged with contempt. "It was an odd magic and the school did not note it's presences, nor anything else about it."

McGonagall looked out the window and watched one of the Hufflepuffs zoom by. A detached part of her mind remarked that Madame Hooch was likely to give who ever it was their first detention. Other than that one clear thought, her others were all jumbled together, but the picture they painted was not a pleasant one. And if Dumbledore's eyes were any indication, he too had the same belief. 

***

Yugi looked at their Professor of Care of Magical Creatures. He did like Hagrid…but he had gotten veiled warnings from Fred and George when he told them he was taking this class. He now wished he had taken the advice a little more seriously. So far all Hagrid had announced was that for their first class of the school year they would be learning about something called 'fwoopers'. Upon seeing the bird or hearing the name, many people blanched, and when it began to sing it produced a pleasing song, but many acted as though that was exactly what the had been afraid of. 

"He's been around them to long," Yugi heard Ron mutter, his hands over his ears.

"Umm…Hagrid, what are fwoopers?" Harry asked, just as clueless as Yugi.

"Can anyone answer 'Arry's question?" Hagrid asked. He scanned the crowd for hands that were not clenched on their ears. "Okay, 'Ermione."

Silence.

"Hermione?"

"Hey, where is she?" asked Lavender Brown the only other one besides Harry, Malik, and Yugi who had not seen the 'danger'.

"'Arry?" asked Hagrid, obviously expecting him to answer. "Is she sick er somet'ing?"

"No, she just went of to the library. Said she'd see us here too."

"Hmm, guess I should 'ave taken roll call…"

Yugi glanced over the other students. "He would have not found someone else too," he muttered.

"Ryou as well?" asked Harry.

"Afraid so."

"Hey, Hagrid," yelled Neville, his fingers in his ears. "You do know that fwoopers can drive you insane, right?"

Hagrid stepped over to where Neville stood and firmly took his fingers out of his ears. "That o'ly if you've heard 'em all day."

"Still…" Neville said unsure. "If you say so…"

Harry saw Neville's arms twitch as though he wished to plug his ears again.

Hagrid did the same with the other students. Just as he had finished, Ron saw two figures coming. 

"Well, there's Hermione, with Ryou." he said.

The two joined them, Hermione panting a little. "Sorry," she said.

"Aw, that's fine Hermione." Hagrid dismissed.

The lesson continued after Hagrid took a minute to take roll call. The students where rather jumpy, double so when the fwoopers sang, but the rest of the class pasted without incident. 

"I swear," muttered Ron as they left, "Hagrid is mad! Next time it's going to be chimaeras or worse."

Hermione shook her head. "Fwoopers aren't dangerous in small increments. Lot safer than hippogriffs, truth be told…"

Ron snorted. 

"But that in itself odd. Hagrid likes beast with all sorts claws and teeth. Odd…" Hermione said softly.

***

Ron and Harry bolted down their lunch, and advised the other three to do the same, otherwise they would be late for Divination. Ron muttered that might not be so bad. Hermione had a little slip and nodded, very slightly. 

Fifteen minutes later, the answer for why they where advised so was obvious.

"Haven't these people heard of elevators?" panted Yugi as they came upon another staircase.

"No," said Harry, a little less winded, "They don't—"

What they didn't do was cut by a loud yell.

"What the—" Malik started.

"You shall not pass until you best me, you knaves!" yelled a portrait of a knight.

"We are going to have to fight a painting to get to class?" Malik whispered, incredulous. 

"'Lo Sir Cadogan," Ron said. "We're just going to class."

"Ah, well," even with his visor down the knight was visibly crestfallen. "Carry on."

"Are any other pictures like that?" Yugi asked, once out of earshot.

"None that I've met, no," Ron said.

As they came to the seeming top of the tower, Yami Bakura looked around.

"No doors or staircases," he remarked.

As though to prove him wrong, a trapdoor opened and a silvery latter slid out.

Malik chuckled.

"Shut up."

They ascended the staircases into the classroom. It smelled of too much incense and tea. There where low tables surround by poufs, and the room was smoky making it impossible to glimpse any more 

"Ah," said a misty voice. "As my Inner Eye saw there are three new students with us…"

"Bet she looked at the roll call with it," Ron whispered out of the side of his mouth.

The rest of the class went by in essentially the same manner. Yami Bakura, Yugi, and Malik where much disappointed. 

"I was expecting sort of a version of Isis that didn't know me," Malik said to Yami Bakura and Yugi. They had chosen a small cluster of chairs to sit on to do the little homework they had accumulated. Ron and Harry where absent.

"She's a bit of a fraud, I think," Yugi commented. 

"Really? I would have never guessed," Malik said sarcastically.

"It's a good thing it wasn't a version of Isis," Yami Bakura observed. "What she could have seen about us might not have been good."

"If it involved you, no doubt," Malik sniped.

Yugi ignored Yami Bakura and Malik's insults. He was beginning to understand that the two of them just did it automatically. "But what if she did see stuff and only acted like that to hide seeing that?"

"We would know. If she weren't on our side, she would have told someone. And if see was with us, she would have told us," Malik said logically.

"Besides," added Yami Bakura, "The way Ron acted, she's always predicting stuff false. It's the third year she's predicted Harry to die."

Malik snorted. "Of course he'll die, we 'mortals' do."

"Good thing these robes are black," remarked Yugi, as yet another drop of ink splashed him. 

"It might help if you sit up straight and put your paper on your lap or the coffee table," Malik said.

Yugi shook his head. "I'll cope." 

***

The next day dawned bright and early. Yami Bakura decide the early part was probable due to it was summer time, and the bright because there were no clouds. He had stayed up all night because on the very rare occasions he did sleep, he was bored out of his mind. With all the sets of snores around him, he had little chance of that. It had given him time to plan what he was going to say to Ryou. Lying down on the bed, he folded the pillow in half and let himself get comfortable before he started.

_//Ryou?//_

_/Hm?/_

_//Time for you to stop over dramatizing, and start on your classes again, after all you were the one who was invited here, not me.//_

_/Good thing you weren't invited here separately, otherwise you and Malik would have— What do you mean over dramatizing?/_

_//You know precisely what I mean.//_

_/I-I-I.../_

_//You weren't?// _Yami Bakura exclaimed sarcastically. _//Seriously, you are. Most people don't have yamis to take over like this, to depend on.// _The last remark was carefully chosen to provoke Ryou.

/_I don't depend on you!/_ Ryou shouted.

_//Sure, you don't_.// Again the obvious tone was sarcasm.

_/I'll take over now then!/_

_//Fine.//_

Ryou took over. 

_//Here's what all has happened.// _Yami Bakura dumped all the information onto Ryou.

It took Ryou a while to sort through it. So, he and the Head of his House where on good terms, while he had yet to meet the Potion's master, who he was already in the bad books of, in all likelihood, because he missed a class. For Herbology they had a plant that bit them, and in another class, a bird that could drive one insane. The professor of Divination was a fake, and he had a good chance that he would fail Astronomy. History of Magic was a bore and in Charms he might be hit with cushions. He was now apt to have a reputation for being a daredevil because of the chess set. Yami Malik was acting strange. And… Yugi and Malik were looking at _law books_?!?! Oh, there was some sort of law about…con…trolling people… Oh, damn. As if he didn't have enough to loose sleep over. 

  
  


Yugi woke up and saw that today at least, Yami Bakura had not gone off alone.

"Miss me?"

Yugi grinned. Correction: Bakura had not gone off alone. 

"We should go down to the library."

Yugi nodded, and dressed.

Outside the Gryffindor rooms, morning life at Hogwarts was beginning. Professor McGonagall passed them in the hallways, and Ryou gave her a tentative wave, which she returned warmly. The passed the caretaker, Flich who warned them if the got even one speck of mud on the floors, they would be in detention for the rest of the year. The library had just been unlocked and Madame Pince acknowledged them sleepily and sipped at her cup of tea.

"Malik has the worst of it, you know," Yugi whispered, and though he was beside him, Ryou had to strain his ears to hear him. "With our yamis, it was sort of by consensus… but when Malik used Jounochi and Anzu, it wasn't… And I know that it wasn't the first time either."

Ryou shrugged as he took the books Yugi handed him. "I think so too, but don't go asking him, he would likely not want to be reminded." 

"I know."

***

Slowly over the course of about a week, an almost routine developed. They would go to classes. Then in spare moments, Malik, Yugi, and Ryou would go to the library and read the law texts. Later, Hermione would help them with homework and any little things they need know that they hadn't learned (which happened quite often). 

Sometimes, Jena would sit in, and offer a comment here and there, which Ryou occasionally find rather amusing, and it would spark a discussion between the two which relied rather heavy on books. As is occasion with that type of thing, every so often one would mention a book that the other had not heard of. Then predictably, one would go ransack one's shelves to find it. Then one would give the other, who would start to read it immediately. When this happened Hermione would throw up her hands in disgust and go to the library.

And in this form, the days passed until came the one class of the five main classes (Transfiguration, Charms, Herbology, Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts) that was taught only once a week: Potions.

Ryou was nervous as they went down to the dungeons. 

"Dungeons, dungeons," he repeated. "Does that sound comforting to any of you?"

"Makes sense that it is held down here," Harry muttered. "It _is_ torture."

"Dungeons," Ryou muttered again.

"What makes it worse is that we're to be Snape's first class of this school year," Ron said, despairing.

Hermione glared. "This is not helping at all," she said. "Harry's father and Snape had a grudge and it's carried over to him. The twin's probably did something, which explains why Snape is mean to Ron. For me it's the fact that I'm a know-it-all. So as long as you sit away from us, you should do fine."

"Unless you have trouble making the potion," Ron added.

"Ron, stop it!" Hermione hissed softly.

"Wondrous," muttered Malik, catching Ryou's mood. "I haven't made one once in my life."

"It can't be that bad? Can it?" asked Yugi.

"It can," said Harry darkly. "It can."

  
  


It was less than a minute till class started, and the professor had yet to come. The bell rang, which would usually signal the beginning of the class…if the professor was there. Slowly, ten minutes ticked by. 

Professor Snape entered.

All whispers stopped.

Nearly all vestiges of his original face were gone. Now it was scarred everywhere. It must have been magic, otherwise he would have bled to death. His eyes were haunted

"Professor," Malfoy ventured, "What happened?"

"Ten points from Slytherin!" he snapped. Even his voice sounded different, a little more hoarse and raspy. 

"But, Professor, I—"

"Another ten!" Snape barked.

Normally the Gryffindors would have smirked and the like, but not then. Though none of them would care to admit it, Snape had always been a constant, unchangeable aspect of the school. Now, he had changed. Before they had gone home for the summer, Dumbledore had informed them that the Dark Lord had returned. Though nothing had happened since then, there was still an under cut of fear. There also rumors of dementors roaming the countryside. And some of the more observant Gryffindors had noticed Harry's wand was different. 

Snape took roll call. He paused at one name before calling it out. "Bakura, Ryou."

"Here."

"But you weren't last week," Snape stated, his voice dangerously calm. 

"No, sir."

"Thirty points from Gryffindor," he said in the same even, but not level tone.

Hermione winced. That tone did not bode well for Ryou Bakura. Evidently, it would not matter how he did in making potions.

  
  


"What happened to his face?" 

"Did he get on the bad side of one of Hagrid's 'pets'?"

"Did one of his potions blow up in his face?"

"Was he in a broom accident?"

"Did his wife get mad and hex him?"

"Does he even _have_ a wife?"

"Who would have hexed him?"

"Did he try and take a shower?"

The only sentence that had not been framed as a question was Neville's. "It must have been dark magic."

"Don't be silly," dismissed Pavarti. She crossed her arms; though she might have been trying to look stern, all effect it had disappeared as she shivered once.

Word about Snape's scared face spread quickly in the school, by lunch time all of Gryffindor and Slytherin knew, by dinner, the whole school, right down to Lee Jordan's latest pet, a parrot.

Late into the night it could be heard, "_Squu-aawk_, Snape's wife scarred him in the shower with Hagrid's dark magic broom potion."

Perhaps it had things garbled. However, in the first place, Snape never said anything about it and nearly bit off the head anyone who asked him about it. And after a week or so of gossip, the potions accident was the widely supported one…but mention 'dark magic' or 'You-Know-Who', and everyone flinched.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Stella: Short chapters may be prevailing for a while. But some good news, editing is now much easier because of a new program!


	32. Ch 32: Solutions

  


  


  


Last chapter's review responses:

  


Black Feather of Hell: Oh, I don't think it's the best, try Lizeth's or White Angel-chan's... As for pairings....well see end of chapter.

AG the master: Not for a while.

  


Evergladelord: *chanting* I'm not gonna tell yet, I'm not gonna tell yet, I'm not gonna tell yet...

  


Curtis Zidane Ziraa: Maybe...

  


Windswift: Counts!

  


Donella, Mimiheart,PrincessKrystal01, Cettie-girl, RyouBakura Obsessor, Molly-chan the Anime/Game fan, YoukoKurama201: Thank you!!!!!

  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  


Chapter Thirty Two: Solutions 

  


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  


The rumours of the cause of the scarring of Snape's face slowly faded and the rhythm of the Hogwart's school year set in. Yugi finally sent his over fifteen page letter to Anzu (who was the only one, with the possible exemption of Kaiba who could read and write English with any proficiency), and found out that only one owl could fly all the way to Japan and back (the found out from a professor, not by trial and error). Bakura got his late birthday present from his father, which turned out to be a gift certificate from a Japanese bookstore, therefore for useless.

  


Harry and Ginny's counseling with Mr. Grayson also became routine. Harry even found himself looking forward to it. The first time he had gone to it, he had been apprehensive, but later when he had relaxed. That might have been helped by the fact Mr. Grayson had known his parents a little and often told antidotes about them. Harry had been slightly disappointed by some of the descriptions of his father's behavior around Snape, but he supposed it something akin to how Lucius Malfoy and Arthur Weasley would antagonize the other. In time, he even learned that Dumbledore had informed Mr. Grayson the truth of Sirius, and Harry stopped pussyfooting around the subject that he was disturbed by Sirius only letter of the summer, that told him not to try to contact him, to trust Dumbledore, and to be careful. 

  


Ginny had no real trouble, and pretty much told him the gossip around the school. The way he listened and provide insights into _why_ a person acted in such a way, this trait of nonjudgmental advice, led her to open up in way that she hadn't since the diary. She found herself telling him about her hopes to do or be part of something wondrous, her fears, and about her crushes. Finally, one mid-October day, when the reality that summer had really ended set in with the falling of the leaves, Ginny plucked up the courage to asked him about what his professional opinion on her was.

  


To her surprise, he laughed.

  


"I've been waiting for you to ask me that," he explained. "I figured when you did that you would have probably be about done."

  


Ginny nodded

  


"You're a little quieter now then when you first came across the dairy, and more cautious, neither of which are necessarily a bad thing. You likely would have gained them naturally, but perhaps not quite in such small time, nor in that quantity. You feel overshadowed by your bothers, as does the youngest of your brother, Ron."

  


"Fred and George have no such compunctions though," Ginny said dryly.

  


"Yes," Mr. Grayson said fervently, perhaps remembering when the two, maybe with help of Peeves had somehow coerced all the doors in the castle to lock themselves shut for over three hours. Everyone had suspected them, but since there had been no proof, they had gotten off free. 

  


"But," she said continuing the earlier thread of conversation, "I'm fine in other words?"

  


"Ginny, most of the problem was that you where afraid of making a mistake like that again."

  


She grudgingly nodded, and began to take leave from the room, for what seemed to be the last time. 

  


"Don't be afraid to come and see me again," Mr. Grayson said, holding the door open for her. "Also, don't forget the Hogsmeade visit this Saturday.

  


Ginny shook her head; she doubted that she would, not with half the girls talking about it. In mid-shake, she stopped. _The reason why half the other girls where talking about it!_ With smiled appearing on her face, she waved at the Hufflepuff who parents where divorcing, and pointed to the door, telling him wordlessly it was his turn.

  


  


Hermione watched Malik slammed the book he had _attempted_ to comprehend shut causing the table to shake, and earning him a long glare from the librarian. Malik buried his head in his hands. He had a quiz the next day in Potions. 

  


"Look, there's no need for that," said his study partner. 

  


He bought his head up enough to look at her flatly, and then let it fall.

  


Hermione clucked her tongue. "Try and concentrate!"

  


"I've tried, Mione." Besides Jena, who used the nickname rarely, he was the only one there to use her old, slightly disliked childhood nickname. She had shrugged and let him. At least he never tried calling her sweetie, like he did with most of the other girls (Hermione suspected the habit might have sprung from the fact he didn't know their names, and had become automatic with any female except a professor).

  


"Up late again, weren't you?"

  


Malik shrugged face still buried, but didn't deny. 

  


"Well," she sighed, "At least your better then Jena. I think she was up till three trying to finish that book Ryou lent her."

  


Malik brought his head out and rolled his eyes. "Bakura was up late too, and took me forever to get to sleep because the light was still on. There are days when I'm tempted to burn that bookcase of his."

  


"It'd be no use, the poor house elves would have another one up with in an hour."

  


"That not quite what I meant."

  


"If Ryou had any sense he would have used a fireproofing charm on his books," Hermione said.

  


"No one's every claimed Bakura always has strong on common sense."

  


"I heard," said Hermione tentatively, "Something about stepping in front of a motorcycle."

  


"Long story," Malik said, and looked as though he was trying to suppress a wince.

  


"Oh." 

  


Malik then muttered something to himself, but harshly, "You know it wasn't really him."

  


Hermione felt her brow furrow, and then quickly schooled it. She had a feeling the last comment had not been meant for her. _Yet another mystery to tack on to him_, she decided. "Talking wishfully about burning bookcases is not going to get you a higher score tomorrow." She opened the book Malik had slammed. "Now moonstone is powerful, but its effect is quite dependent on many factors…"

  


***

  


Malik tapped on the table in the library after Hermione left, irritated at many issues. Yugi and Bakura would be there soon, and the trio would look through those accursed law books again. He was starting to think this Azkaban was preferable. Though he had finally grasped and memorized many of the facts and factors of moonstone, something was niggling at the back of his head, and wasn't his yami either, though he had continued his annoying habit of making unwanted commotion in Malik. No, it was an idea, one that he knew he could clasp, but yet, couldn't, a concept that would somehow aid. He knew that if he talked it over with Yugi, the knowledge would come, however, Malik wanted the (albeit little) glory that came with it. 

  


He let his head fall back onto the cushioned headrest and snarled softly. He kept on thinking it had something to do with a snake, but that was no help. He could think of at least a dozen articles that involved snakes that had no involvement with curses, though many of them _did_ allude to or say outright the base cause was association with Dark Magic. One or two did not, such as that 'one would not leave a snake over a door way that a person with dyed clothing shall pass beneath, under penalty of eating abovementioned garments boiled with aforesaid serpent, which shall be partaken of with aforementioned individual observing'. 

  


Malik doubted it had anything to do with that.

  


However, this reflection jogged his memory enough for him to remember that one of the persons it concerned name started with an L. _And,_ the _only_ book he had read recently that had people in it, and not endless and rather senseless decrees was _The Trials of You-Know-Who's Followers After the War That So Graciously Ended So That the Writing of This Book Could Be Done, and the World's Estimate of This Great Author be Increased By as Many Ten-Folds as You-Know-Who Killed._ As Malik had never heard of the man who had wrote the book, Gilderoy Lockheart, he must have not become the overnight sensation that the title suggested that he thought he would become, but he hoped that if the man ever penned another book, the publishers would have the sense to force him to keep the title of it short.

  


Malik had kept the book in his bag after he had finished reading it because he planned to return it to the shelves himself, which would not happen if he put it in the basket for books. The reason for not wanting it there was simple, if it was put there, Madame Pince would find it when she came to reshelf the whole lot. Oh, and the reason for not wanting that to happen either?

  


Malik had thrown against the wall… several times… He had been rather lucky that she hadn't come then, actually. 

  


_But, back to the matter at hand,_ he thought, _I need to find out what person I was thinking of and find another book, 'cause I barely stand this guy's own admiration for himself. _It took him a bit looking but he finally found it, tucked in one of the dustiest parts, and with more searching, he found the name he had been trying to remember. He read the summery of the trial. At first his face was puzzled, then his lips gradually shaped a smirk. 

  


  


Yugi scanned the usual tables and seats for Malik, and as he noted that Malik wasn't there, he began to fear that Malik had hiked off. He had seen that Malik and Bakura had flagging interest in finding a way out of the laws and an increased on in finding a way out of the law books. Not that he blamed them; it was only because Yami kept prodding him when his attention on the matter dwindled that preserved him from a similar predicament. 

  


"He's not here," stated Bakura, and Yugi was thankful that he didn't add on the 'no fair' he had partially expected.

  


"Maybe he's got a head start," Yugi said forlornly, already forming counter-arguments against Bakura leaving to finish of whatever the series was called that Jena lent him. As they rounded the last corner, and Yugi with his mouth already open to start, they saw Malik.

  


Who was smirking, almost madly. "Ever think that a Malfoy might be useful?"

  


Yugi raised his eyebrow. The first time they had met the brat outside of class he had to hold back both Malik and Bakura (well, Yami Bakura) from beating him up and his yami challenging him to a game that would have quite likely ended in temporary insanity, at least.

  


"Fine," Bakura said, "I'll bite. No."

  


"There are little miracles!" Malik said. He held up a book for them to glance at. "I think I just solved the problem."

  


"Really?" asked Bakura, now genuinely interested. "Well, I've come up with a bit too the other day. I haven't been able to tell you because anytime that we seem to be alone, someone pops up like Ginny or a twin. I was talking to Dean about what had happened last year, some tournament or another," Here an expression of akin to longing must have appeared on a least one face, for Bakura interrupted himself, "No, no, not that type, more of an athletic one, but it did have a couple riddles, and a maze. Anyway, he said that the old Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor had, to help them learn to throw it off, put the Imperious Curse on them," he finished triumphantly. 

  


Yugi grinned. "Now all that remains is Malik's problem, since that professor must have had their permission. We can say that our yamis did too!"

  


"Except mine of course," Malik said, "And as for my little predicament this helps." He tossed the book. "Start at page 274. It's mostly 'bout Malfoy's father, but includes some of the other family members. "

  


Yugi read it, with Bakura scanned it over his shoulder. Bakura let out a sharp hiss a breath as he finished.

  


"We might not have worried," he whispered in anger after Yugi finished, "Just look at how _easy_ he got of for controlling and killing so many people! Because he said he was controlled too! And even without that, it wouldn't' of matter much 'cause a great deal were '_muggles_'. What an _extraordinary_ measure of _human_ life." He muttered darkly a couple choice words. 

  


"Yes," Malik said, his earlier smirk fading, "But it does give enough for me to get out of all of it."

  


"Yeah, I see where you're going with this," Yugi said, his slight resentment at the book vanishing as well, "You're saying your yami was like a controlling spell on you…" He had some private doubts that it would hold up, but then again, Yami Malik could likely have been able to manipulate Malik without revealing himself. 

  


"Yes…" Malik looked away. "Um… also… One thing that might help… um… everyone I used the Rod on, expect Isis, Anzu, and Jounochi… somehow either died or went utterly mad…"

  


Yugi winced at what Malik said, but he wasn't much of one to talk either, some of the earlier things his yami had done were of only of a slightly lesser level, though some of them had been warranted. "So in other words if we, my friends, Kaiba, and your family keep quite, it would be a lot harder for the issue to come up."

  


Looking relived, Malik nodded.

  


"I'll keep silent, and I'll tell Anzu," Yugi promised.

  


"Me too," Bakura added, still glowering. Then he paused, and tilted his head, listening. He then shook his head, but looked a little more amused.

  


"What did he saw?" asked Malik.

  


"He offered to show Malfoy what a former muggle could do. Since he offered, it was more of a joke then anything, but I'm tempted to let him."

  


Malik nodded. "If you'd read the first book you likely wouldn't have been mad at the 'purebloods' but the author himself. Though he didn't seem to have any views on the matter he was so full of himself that one would think e was the one who defeated this Dark Lord."

  


"That bad?" Yugi asked.

  


"The title's _The Trials of You-Know-Who's Followers After the War That So Graciously Ended So That the Writing of This Book Could Be Done, and the World's Estimate of This Great Author be Increased By as Many Ten-Folds as You-Know-Who Killed._"

  


"I…see."

  


  


Even though they had finally finished the reason that had come to the library, they still had homework to complete, and a quiz to cram for, so they stayed in the library. After the had been there for an hour or two, McGonagall came in, and talked to Madame Pince, who handed her a book. She then took a glance about the room, while her hands opened the book, and spotted them. She waved and came to take the last seat. 

  


"Our first years are having the annual whine of not being able to go to Hogsmeade. Almost every year they do this."

  


Ryou was unsure on how to handle this. For those few days Yami Bakura had been in control, he had made if not a friend then certainly a cordial acquaintance with the professor. He also doubted that the Yugi or Malik would help either, as she seemed to want to talk to him.

  


_//Let me_,// Yami Bakura told him. _//We seem to get along.//_

  


Ryou was at a loss why an ancient tomb robber, who seemed to be a student and why a professor who was at least sixty were quite friendly with the other, however if his yami could get him out of this, he would be happy.

  


/_Go ahead_./ Bakura closed his eyes and wrinkled his forehead, as if he was thinking.

  


Yami Bakura opened his eyes. "I bet that us very technically being first years is there latest point of argument."

  


"Yes, I swear, if hear one more 'but Yugi can' I think I'll turn who ever it is into a ferret." She saw a puzzled look. "Ask Mr. Weasley, I'm sure he'll tell you."

  


"There identifying with you, cause you're short," Yami Bakura said shooting a look at Yugi.

  


Yugi had long grown used to being teased of his height only rolled his eyes. 

  


"You've told them that Yugi is actually much older then them?" Yami Bakura asked. 

  


"Multiple times."

  


"More powerful too?"

  


"Yes, but they really haven't gotten that message. Maybe if there was a demonstration."

  


"Like Yugi coming floating down the stairs on day with Malik banishing pillows at him, which Yugi turns to birds, none of this without any wands? Or Malik cusses at a potion and sets the common room on fire?"

  


"Those could be last resorts," McGonagall said, her eyes dancing mischievously. 

  


"What about playing a game by magic?" Yami Bakura suggested his long fingers tapping his chin.

  


"No bringing cards to life and the such!" Yugi interrupted.

  


McGonagall shook her head. "That would a feat that even Flitwick would have trouble with, not to mention it would be dangerous."

  


Unseen by her, Yugi nodded vigorously.

  


"But playing it by magic," she said thoughtfully, "Without wands would almost definitely get their attention. Thank you." She smiled slightly. "Though it will likely raise questions in most Gryffindors _how_ you have so much magic, and why it took so long for it to be found." Her eyes traveled across each, slowly. "You're all quite unusual, too. It has stumped Albus all those whys and hows," she added getting up, "You will play this game, won't you?"

  


"You have my word on it."

  


She nodded, smiling and left.

  


"That was… odd," Malik said summing it up.

  


"She likes finding out his views, I guess," Ryou said softly, control once more ceded to him.

  


"Not only that, what she said about not knowing why we have all this magic," Malik dissented. 

  


Ryou shrugged.

  


"Um, I have an idea," Yugi said.

  


"Oh?"

  


"I think it could because of our yamis. I mean that both Shadi and Isis have Millennium Item, but none one else we know of has a yami."

  


"So what if one of us lost our yami?" asked Ryou suddenly.

  


Silence

  


"You'd be a muggle," Malik said quietly. He put his hands out palms up. "Being a wizard." He moved his hand, as if hefting something. "Having _him_." He made the same motion with his other hand. He moved them up and down, weighing the two invisible weights. "No him." The hand that represented Yami Malik was shaped into a fist. 

  


"Well, we don't need to worry about that anyway," Yugi said. "I don't think you're going to be able to get rid of him."

  


"True." Malik sighed wishfully.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  


  


Stella: Five hunddred reviews!!!!! ^_^ 

  


**Announcements:**

  


I need I beta reader. Badly. One who knows HP, as well as Yu-gi-oh.

  


Chapters are going to be smaller for a while, but coming out more often.

  


After some consideration, I found out how well some shonen ai pairings fit into the plot. BUT this does not mean that all male charecters, just a few. Some chracters are still doomed to a couple quick flings. For those of you who dislike/hate shonen ai, no one is making you read this. For those of you who don't know what shonen ai is, it's also tremed as yoai, slash and, guy-guy love. For those of you who are sorta afaird to read it (I was too, over two years ago) nothing more explit is going to happen then a few kisses. Also I'M NOT TELLING THE PAIRING(S) YET! But I will say two things, I'm not having a Snape/Rishid (who is also know as Lithdo and Odeon), and nothing is going to hint to hint at any pairing(s) 'til you understand what I mean when I write of 'a meshed preson.'

  


Thank you to all the readers who are staying. 

  


Ducking behind a big flame proof shield, 

Stella

  



	33. Ch 33: Sticks

Stella: Only one flame! Not nearly as bad as I expected! 

Review Responses:

The Legendary Centurion: Good luck!

Donella: Thank you, that one review was bothering me, you're right. No hints about the pairings. Sorry!

Anime-Blade: It would actually be Anzu Yugi'ld end up with, but I see you're point.

crimson night: I'm sorry, but I'm not joking.

Black Feather of Hell: Keep in character.? I do? Woah!Thanks!

Anime Crazed: With every thing up on FF.net, it's not surprising.

shadowwind: Thank you.

Lyn/Lin: I'll think about having you as a beta...

ruth 4 kai: Thanks!

AG the master: This chapter is up a little late, I know.

Menolly5600: Whoops... I got to caught up in it to look at much. It's a good story, and I didn't review because I was in a rush, but there were one or two places where you forgot a comma. Anyway, I'll probable e-mail you at some point to ask you some questions about some of the later arks. You have more access then I do to that stuff it seems.

YoukoKurama201: Maybe not, but thank you for the offer.

Cettie-girl: That's how I wish counselors where like...

UsagiLovesDuochan: Wow, defiantly one of my longest reviews! I'm flexible about pairings myself, so when I write something else, they wouldn't be the same.

asdf: I've gotten so many people asking, so it's a little hard to choose, but I'll think about it...

HikariEryaviel: Not exactly what one would call probable.

Keiko Mistress Of Destruction: *grin* Glad to hear you liked this!

Molly-chan the Anime/Game fan: Actually, there's no cards at all.

Mimiheart: Glad that one preson donsen't care too much about pairings. 

Curtis Zidane Ziraa: Something along those lines happened here too.

Windswift: No just, telling Anzu what happened (but I think he also included a very precise account of Percy's cooking). I'm sorta tempted by your beta offer. Long review good!

Princess Krystal01: Thank you!

yesim@flamesofeternaldarkness: This is rated PG-13, so there's going to be nothing more explict then some kisses and such.

  
  


Stella: What shall I say about this chapter besides it sorta fits the mood right now…sorta. It's not my favorite either by a long shot. Anyway, Happy Valentines Day. This isn't my favorite chapter…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter Thirty Three: Sticks

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Hogsmeade, the place where Ginny and Ryou would go on a date. If she could pluck up the courage to ask him.

Ginny bit her lip as she once more ran through her various conversation tactics. She felt that she had not been this nervous since… she wasn't sure; perhaps when she knew that Tom had been using her, but this time the fear/nervousness felt different. She once more paced. She heard footsteps. Quickly she fled back to her seat and tired to pretend to write. 

"You'd better not spill any ink, miss, or it'll be a weeks worth of detention," growled the cantankerous caretaker, Filch. His cat, Mrs. Norris glided along beside him, and stared at her a moment, and drifted after him.

Ginny muffled a giggle at her own jumpiness before sighing. What should she say to Ryou?

"Hi, Ginny" Ryou said, who must have approached when she was trying not to laugh at Filch who would have likely given her detention some way if she had. 

Ginny nearly jumped. "Uhhh, how are you?" Ginny said, as it was the first thing that came to her besides, 'now what?'

"Fine, thank you."

"Umm…"

"You seem to have a case of the uhhs and umms," Ryou teased.

"It's that well," Ginny paused, "Erumm."

"And the erumms," he added with a smile. "What are you trying to say?"

"Everyone'sgoingtoHogsmeadethisweekend,wouldyouliketocomewithmetotheThreeBroomsticks,likeadate?" 

Ryou looked at her with a puzzled expression as he worked out what she had said. Understanding dawned on his face. He sunk into a chair.

Ginny's heart sunk as well.

"Ginny, I s-sorry, but no," he said quietly.

"That's fine." Ginny forced herself to smile. She turned to flee, tears already shaping in her eyes. 

"It's not that I don't like you."

Ginny pivoted back to face him, willing herself not to blink, lest tears begin to flow. 

"It's just that I have some… personal problems… right now and likely will still have them…for a while."

Ginny lifted an eyebrow before she realized what she was doing.

"Trust me, there's a reason why Malik is the one who mostly cares for our falcon."

"I doubt that you'd tell me."

Ryou shook his head. "You'd have to get me drunk to do that, and I now carefully look at my eggnog."

The last comment caught Ginny off guard and she looked at him.

"Long story, I'll tell you when… we're both feeling better."

"I see."

Ryou darted between her and the wall, heading to the common room. As he passed, Ginny fancied that she saw unshed tears in his eyes.

Her tears were no longer unshed.

She slowly made her way up the stairs; thankful that no one hailed her in the crowded common room. She opened the door to the fourth year girl's dormitories, and flung herself on her bed, and drew to her a teddy bear her father had given her when younger. She cried her heart into the stuffing, sobbing the usual laments, 'no one loves me,' and 'would they even care if I died?' Finally she extracted her head out of the indention it had made in the bear's stomach. Her tears still blurred her eyes, and her nose was stuffy. She sighed and laid back her head on the not so damp pillow. 

"What should I do?" she whispered to the canopy above. 

It, of course, did not answer. 

She sighed waveringly. 

Should she do what her sensible side suggested and ask someone else out? Or should she just give up on romance till next year? She shrugged and decided that once she had visited the bathroom and had washed away most sings of crying, she'd have figured something out. She clambered out of her blankets.

Ron gazed at Yugi, contemplating what disaster would befall him this weekend for Divination. 

Ron was starting to understand Yugi, and some of the foundations of his mental universe. His friends _always_ came first, no matter what. If he was hiding something it was likely a surprise party or something of that nature; but if wasn't, in likely-hood it because a friend asked him to. Yugi saw the good in everyone, but yet was selective with whom he trusted. He also brought out the better side of almost everyone. Ron wasn't sure, but he thought that even Snape had been affected. Yugi loved games, and he showed no mercy when playing. He beat Ron every time at chess. Though Yugi looked rather naïve, he had seen many things. At first when Ron had heard about the few duels Yugi had been willing to talk about, when he was around Harry, he had thought that the were largely exaggerated such as one about flames or another that involved anchors, but slowly as Ron occasionally picked up a magazine or a clipped article from a newspaper that Ryou had translated from Japanese to English, his doubts faded away. Evidentially, in the world of these 'duelists,' you had to have quite a bit of mettle. He also wrote long, very detailed letters back to Japan, to one of his friends, Anzu. 

Malik on the other hand was harder to fathom. Ron knew that he had been in a gang. He also knew that his father had been a religious fanatic. Ron knew that he had a bit of a wilder side, that he didn't show much. A good amount of girls liked him, because of his tendency to call them sweetie. If any of the girls in Hogwarts who had met Malik didn't have _any_ fond feelings for the blonde they were either, a), hidebound Slytherins, b) Professor Trelawney, or c) too smitten with Ryou to notice.

Ron wasn't certain of the exact number, but he figured it was well over a third of the female population had a crush on Ryou. Ryou mainly had kept to himself, books, and his friends; Ron wasn't certain whether he was aware of his following or not. Ryou would when he was in one particular mood, one that had laid back body language, and an almost continual smirk, he and Malik would pick fights, topics ranging from secret passages to messy handwriting. Other times he was withdrawn, and looking depressed, but other times he was happy and carefree. 

At first that summer, Ron was slightly wary of the two who had come from Japan, but when Harry had smiled and told him quietly that he thought that they where what they had said they where, Ron had let his guard slip away, and found that they (by that time Malik had come to the Burrow) had turned into good friends. He knew still that it was Yugi and Harry were the two that really tied the groups together. 

Ryou came into the room, his expression distanced and shocked, He took a seat near the cluster of chairs that Yugi had arranged so that they could study together.

"Eh? Bakura, what's wrong?" asked Yugi, putting down his quill, and folding his hands, devoting his attention to Ryou. 

"I— someone asked… me out for a date," Ryou haltingly said.

"Who?" asked Ron. 

"A girl," said Ryou, slightly evasive. 

"Really, who?" Ron pressed, as he felt an ache in his chest at the idea that it could have been Hermione. After all, Ryou had read a great deal of Hogwarts: A History…

"Someone."

Ron noticed out of the corner of his eye Hermione mouth a word. Ryou grimaced faintly, and nodded.

"Hermioneeee, who?"

"A human," she answered after a long pause, "And if you continue to ask, I shall… make you… take your own notes in potions."

Ron muttered sullenly, but relented. 

"I'm actually rather surprised no one else has asked you yet," Hermione commented.

Ryou looked up, and sighed. "More." He then muttered something darkly in Japanese that Ron was fairly sure was curse word.

"Yep," chirped a voice behind him, "More!"

The group turned to face the new arrival. Ron recognized her by sight as a sixth year who he could never remember the name of. She had sun touched brown hair cut to her chin, which was dimpled because she was smirking slightly. Her eyes were dancing, but dark, and her figure posed. 

"Wanna go to Hogsmeade?" she chirped.

Ryou didn't answer, perhaps because he looked as if a he had been hit over the head with a board.

She sighed gustily, and the light in her eyes dimmed. Then she pivoted. "Malik, do you want to go?"

Malik, who had looked to Ron as if he had been trying not to laugh, gained the same expression as Ryou.

She sighed again. "Any one?"

Hermione shook her head.

The girl shrugged. "Oh, well." She walked away.

"Who was that?" demanded Ron after he thought he might be able to speak without choking about her audacity. 

"Her?" said Hermione, "You've just met Dahlia. I'm rather surprised that something along these lines hasn't happened before."

"I'm almost afraid to ask, but why?" Ron said after a moment.

"She asks any boy out that she things is cute or really nice out," Hermione said slowly, "But she has rules for herself, like no poaching, so if there's another girl who has her sights set on the boy, she'll let them stay together, or if the other girl obviously has crush on him, Dahlia lets her ask first."

"Weird," Ron said shaking his head, reading into what Hermione had not said about how Harry fit some of the criteria. 

"Even weirder when you know that Malfoy is one of the people who she considerers cute," Hermione said, smirking, looking like she knew what this would bring, for her amusement Ron played along, pretending to sputter. "Don't worry though, she has the same over all hate, she just thinks he looks nice, and she's requested that whoever kills him, don't touch his face so she can stuff it and put it on the wall."

Ryou smiled slightly. "That might be the only good use for him."

***

Ginny came down about an hour later, her eyes shadowed; she joined the group. 

Hermione smiled at her, her eyes looking like she knew what Ginny had been doing. "Dahlia was here."

"I see," Ginny said, trying not to start crying again.

"And after her two others," Malik said, smirking.

Ryou gave him a dark glare before continuing to study. 

Ginny nodded, "I see," she said again. She knew that Ryou had likely not accepted any.

Hermione nodded.

"What are you two trying to say to each other?" Ron asked, miffed.

Ron was never told why, because as the two girls looked at each other, both about to tell a lie or 'shove off', and the portrait door burst open.

"I said no," Professor McGonagall shouted, "You are not going to Hogsmeade!"

The crowded of first and second years flowed around her, and a couple broke away to pester Hermione.

"Reminds me," Ryou suddenly said, "I made a promise concerning this."

"I hope you aren't joining them," Hermione said over the bobbing heads.

Ryou shook his head, grabbed Malik and Yugi by the wrists, and went up presumably to their rooms.

"Ginny, could you get Jena? They _might_ listen to some one there own age," Hermione asked.

"Hey, don't talk like we're not here!" protested one of the protesters, sitting down beside her.

Hermione moved away and they followed her like ducklings.

Ginny was left at her own ends; she looked at the clock and drew her knees to her chest and sighed. She toyed with her hair, trying to pull it into a semblance of order, which was sometimes impossible without a brush.

Ryou came back down the stairs with a container in his hands, and it was obvious why all the time had been taken. He and Yugi had both changed, Ryou into jeans and white sweater and Yugi into one of his leather outfits.

"Okay," said Malik, "What's this game?"

Ryou opened the container and trued it over to let the many colored sticks fall into his hand. With a practiced flick of his wrist, he scatted them on to the carpet. "You might know it by a different name, but it's called Pick Up Sticks. You must take a stick from the pile without disturbing any of the other sticks, other wise it's the next person's turn. We'll play it with magic."

"Left me wand up in the room," Malik said getting up.

"We're going to play with out wands," Ryou added.

Ginny heard Malik almost groan.

"Our professors have been telling us because we have so much we should try to do more magic without them so we can reach our full potential," Ryou said apologetically. 

Malik muttered something about magic and useless.

"Except Snape, I'll bet," Ginny ventured. 

"He wouldn't give us the time of day except to tell us we're late," muttered Harry, who had been quite for most of the evening.

"I'll go first," said Ryou. He looked at one sticks hardly. It twitched rose in the air a couple of inches, and fell back to the ground, striking another stick.

Malik tried and managed to get one stick. Yugi also fetched one. The game progressed, and slowly they became more proficient. They game wended down, and Yugi won, with seven more sticks than Ryou.

Ryou smiled. "Next." He carefully scattered the sticks and rearranged them carefully. "Malik, you and I are going to deliberately take only one stick each, and Yugi is going to get the rest."

"But Bakura, then it really won't be a game," said Yugi, frowning.

Ryou rolled his eyes. "If it helps you, then I won't use the word game then. Now, Harry."

"Hm?"

"Could once Yugi has gotten rough half the sticks go to Hermione and say something along the lines of 'came and look, because it looks like Yugi's gonna win in one turn.' Try to imply that we've played this game before."

Harry nodded, and put aside his prediction of that of the weekend. 

The plan went on was pulled off without a hitch, a couple of the little lobbyists fallowed Hermione and watched. As Yugi was moving the last stick, and it came level to his hand, Ginny then did something she then viewed as her lapsing into temporary insanity.

"Do you want to go with me to Hogsmeade?" she asked. 

Yugi stared at her. The red stick fell, and he barely managed to catch it. "Like on a date you mean?"

She nodded before she caught herself. She had a sudden mental image of herself having a very quick growth sprit and looming over a foot over him.

"Sure!" 

_Sweet Merlin, what on Earth have I gotten myself into?_

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Stella: Yes, as I said before, in this chapter, barely anything happens. It's also rather choppy because I wrote only about three hundred words at a time.


	34. Ch 34: Bubbles

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Chapter Thirty Four: Bubbles

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Footsteps around Hogwarts sounded after breakfast as the students all went to their first set of classes. For Gryffindors, Potions had never been easy and doubly so if you had Astronomy the night, as did the fifth years. All but Pavarti and Yugi were still groggy. Pavarti was natural a morning person, while Yugi had been bouncing ever since the night before, when Ginny had asked him out.

Malik studied him again, still at a lost _why._

Yugi caught his glance, and smiled back, complete carefree. "I wonder what Snape's going to have us do this time?"

Malik caught Ron's muttered, 'take away points', and agreed. Snape for the last couple of day's had been particularly foul tempered; sometimes taking away points from clueless students who had only looked at him. The only thing that the Gryffindors had to say for it was that he was equally foul to the Slytherins. _Talk of the devil_… went thorough his mind as he saw a familiar blonde figure flanked by two living boulders. 

Malik tensed. Beside him he saw Yami Bakura take over. They exchanged looks. Malfoy was going to learn a lesson…

Malfoy smirked at them, practically Harry, who was glaring back. Malik made a mental note to at some point explain to Harry that look didn't help fend off fights. Malfoy walked right pass them and into the potions classroom.

Malik was disappointed, and to his right he knew that Yami Bakura was feeling the same. Malfoy was a coward.

Yugi sighed. "He's going to pick a fight after class." His earlier cheer had faded into melancholy. If he had said 'why', no one would have been surprised.

Malik however felt himself grin. _So what if I'm bloodthirsty? He deserves it…_

Snape was late. Students whispered, and grew restless. Time ticked by. 

Snape strode in. "No caldrons out?" he snapped, "Twenty points from both houses." He scribbled on the blackboard. "Today the potions a memory one. Get to work!"

Hermione timidly raised her hand. Malik winced in, knowing what would happen next. 

"Yes, Miss Granger?"

"With all due respect, Professor, we haven't covered that one yet."

"I'm well aware of this, Miss Granger."

"But we usually cover the theory first, unless it's an easy one."

"I know," Snape bit off, "For wasting time, ten points."

Malik concealed his sigh. Sometimes Snape forgot to explain, and though he would be extremely bad-tempered about it, he would explain. However, that was not the case today. He squinted at the board. _How on Earth did he get to be a teacher with that handwriting?_

_//He bribed the headmaster_,// his yami supplied. Malik tried not to sigh, lest Snape's glare turn to him. Lately, his yami had stopped talking quite so much, and when he did, it never really made any tries to convince him of anything, it seemed as though he had finally accepted the way things stood. 

Malik was sure he was plotting, and the moment he did get in control, he would attempt to go on a sacrificing spree. 

"Am I reading it right, or does it only list the ingredients with no measurements or directions."

Malik had forgotten. This was likely Yami Bakura's first time meeting Snape. He hadn't raised his hand, which wasn't the smartest thing. Knowing Yami Bakura and knowing Snape's attitude, Malik concluded, sadly that Gryffindor might end up in the negatives by the end of the class. 

"Yes, Mr. Bakura, you are."

A couple mutters filtered through the class, but since Snape could not track down the particular whisperers, no points were taken. 

Students slowly measured out the ingredients, making guesses and estimates; and each to his or her particular preference, boiled, simmered, or burned their concoction. Snape made a round to look in on their progress.

Malik did not hear Snape coming from behind him, as he was trying not to boil away all the liquid, and he had never really attuned himself to that type of thing. 

"No purple to it's hue, start over again," Snape ordered, moving on.

Malik poured in the in the crocodile tears, once Snape turned his back. He wasn't going to spend more energy and thought on this then he had to. 

Snape had gone across the aisle, to where Yami Bakura.

 Yami Bakura's voice had gone deathly quiet, and Malik along with all the other students had stopped and watched the unfolding drama.

"It's not _my_ fault that it's too thin." Yami Bakura stood up, his chair causing a tortured sound as it skidded across the floor. When standing, Yami Bakura seemed taller then Snape, but Malik knew that it was likely Yami Bakura's sheer amount of presence that caused that. "If you had wanted it to be thick, purple, and smooth, you should have told us. I will not take a class where the specifications are not clearly displayed, but yet they're expected." He took his bag, and treaded his way around the desks to the door. 

Malik's eyes narrowed. He too stood, up. "Look at it from another's point of view," he said, wearied by Snape's constant demands of something over perfection. He too grabbed his bag, but unlike Yami Bakura, he remembered to snatch his caldron. He was not going to put up with that class a minute more. Since Yami Bakura had walked out as well, Malik knew that Professor McGonagall would defend them both. 

Snape looked to be too stunned to try to stop either of them. 

Malik caught up with Yami Bakura. "Quite a stunt," he said, the closest that he'd give to a compliment.

"I disliked him."

"You also seemed to dislike Malfoy."

"You do too," Yami Bakura pointed out. "Didn't think you'd follow me."

Malik saw the underlying question. "I was tired of being such good student."

The other grunted, amused perhaps. "What shall we do now with all this free time…"

"Whatever we do, I need to dump this." Malik motioned to the caldron. "You forgot yours."

The thief shrugged. "I'll steal it back at some point, and mail it back to myself. It'll give me something to do."

Malik looked at him curiously. "I've been meaning to ask you, where you really a thief then?"

"I'm a thief and stealer of souls," Yami Bakura said, mockingly smiling.

"Bakura wouldn't like you saying that," Malik said, but he too was smiling.

"Ryou can go stuff his head if he doesn't. Besides, I'm the stronger one."

Malik shook his head, amused. "So you where a tomb robber?"

Yami Bakura sighed, expatriated. "Yes."

Malik nodded to himself. "Isis said something once, and Pharaoh been calling you that now and then, so I thought it was so."

"I did some things that I don't think he could ever forget, and I'm surprised it took him this long to remember."

Malik glanced at the look on Yami Bakura's face, and decided it would best not ask. So he asked something that he had been wondering for a time, "So you do remember more then he does?"

"Didn't you already ask that… Or did Ryou?" Yami Bakura was puzzled. "Hmm… Or did Ryou say something…"

Malik cleared his throat. Maybe being trapped in a hunk of gold for a millennia or two did make one a touch balmy.

Yami Bakura glanced, at him, possible knowing what Malik's thought had been, and with the glance came the unspoken, sharp reply of 'I'm not'. 

"Yeah, I remember more," he said shortly.

Malik tried to read into the reply, trying to figure out more.

Yami Bakura glanced at him. "Don't you have anything better to do then play Twenty Questions?"

"It's only been three, and no, not really."

"Boredom there, boredom here." Yami Bakura sighed. "Duel?" He pulled out his deck from the bag of schoolbooks.

Malik shrugged. "Sounds good to me," he said, also producing his cards. "Which set of rules?" He shuffled his deck.

"Battle City's, but no ante. "

Malik nodded. "Nor magic or duel disks, since mine's in the room." He pulled a coin out of his pocket and looked at it. "Sun or moon?"

Yami Bakura was blank for a second before he saw it was a sickle, one of the wizarding coins. "Sun."

Malik flipped it. "I go first."

To Malik it was enjoyable duel; for once he didn't know that he'd lose, the down side of playing against Yugi or Yami.

"Does Bakura duel at all?" he asked, setting a monster down.

"Sometimes. Take five hundred."

"Does he like games?"

Yami Bakura glanced up as he set down E in his D-E-A-T-H [FINAL in dubbed] set. "Isis put you up to some of these questions, didn't she?"

"Yeah," Malik admitted shrugging. He hadn't tried to be too subtle.

"Something for something," Yami Bakura said, choosing a card out of his hand and putting it down on the magic and trap field. "Why is Isis fishing? She has the necklace that can see into time."

Malik looked at Yami Bakura, weighing his options. Isis had seemed, while not quite desperate, very eager to have more information. On the other hand, though Yami Bakura seemed peaceful, Malik had no illusions that Bakura was the only one who could really know his actions, and even then, Malik knew for a fact Yami Bakura kept him out of the important stuff. "As long as you bring no harm to me or mine, I shall tell," he said, choosing his words carefully.

"Little archaic," Yami Bakura commented. 

"Says the three thousand year old spirit," Malik retorted.

"I presently mean no harm," Yami Bakura said.

Malik looked at him and decided that was probable the best he'd get, though it was carefully worded. "I have little to no idea why."

"Guess," Yami Bakura said flatly.

"I honestly don't know, besides it might have something to do with his reign."

"And what does former Pharaoh's reign have to do with Ryou's like of games? In case she forgot, _I _was the one who was alive then." Yami Bakura said, his hand splayed across his chest for the emphasis on the 'I'. 

"The gods themselves could have problems following Isis' thought pattern when she thinks she's on to something," he muttered.

"Ah. And her Item is not used…"

"Because she's lost a deal of her power after that thankfully false prediction."

"I see."

The game played on for a turn more in silence. 

"I think," Malik said quietly, "She's trying to see if there was a Yugi or Bakura back then."

Yami Bakura stared at him hard. Malik felt the beginnings of a fear that he had mortally offended him stir in his chest. The tension broke as Yami Bakura laughed. "No, there was no Ryou then, I can assure you."

"How do you know?"

"It's a feeling I get…" Yami Bakura said, "You know that pet theory that the Items have a mind of here own, right?"

"Yeah, I believe it too."

Yami Bakura looked at him, questioning.

"The Rod has done things…"

"So has the Ring. But from what I _think_ it's trying to get across is that I really should…"

Malik grinned in anticipation. With Yami Bakura, that faint undertone meant he was very peeved and could do nothing about it, which meant it could be very interesting.

"That I should try to get along with people more and especially Yugi's group, including Ryou, excluding Pharaoh and Kaiba."

"Wait… excluding?"

"Because we have a history, and things to resolve. 

"That's a lot to go on," Malik said, sarcastically. 

Yami Bakura snorted. "Not with the intensity it was using."

"Whatever you say," Malik said. He would tell Isis about it, but doubted it would affect her.

"What did the Rod do?"

Malik kept his grin hidden behind his hand of cards. "It was with _him_ truth be told, and Isis told me about it. It caused Kaiba to remember something."

"What time?"

"Back in Egypt."

"Bet he didn't like that." 

"What 'bout the Ring?" Malik asked

"What about the Ring?" 

Malik rolled his eyes. "What odd thing has it done?"

"Things," corrected Yami Bakura. "Just think about the sheer amount of times the raw-hide cord it's strung on has snapped."

"Once…twice?"

"More then that, and very conveniently too."

"I see."

"Also think about how often the eye of Ra –or Horus, which ever you prefer– glimmers on an Item."

Malik nodded and made a mental note to write Isis. With a sigh, he drew. As he considered his next move, his forgotten caldron he had set aside, gurgled, and a bright orange bubbled floated out. It slowly drifted upwards until it hit the ceiling, where it was punctured, leaving a blackened spot.

"Isn't you're potion blue?"

Malik leaned over to check it. "Not any more, now it's black. I think it might be time to dump it." As he said this, another bubble floated up, and this one, caught by a draft, hit a suit of armor. The spot where it had burst tarnished.

"Are sure it's safe to ditch? Having no plumbing because the pipes were rusted is not fun," Yami Bakura said, eyeing the spots.

Malik shrugged, and gather up his cards. "Might as well see now." He took the caldron carefully, holding by the side handles, and set of to find the nearest sink. With out too much difficultly, one was found. Malik poured the potion down it. He watched the last of it drain away. 

"It didn't turn the sink any odd colors," Yami Bakura observed.

"Thankfully."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	35. Ch 35: Notes

Stella: The amount of reviews I _sometimes_ get makes it a little hard to write a response for every single one. There is also a tendency for some people to ask the same question, so when I think I can get away with it, am going to not write any, just a general answers.

I'm now convinced that to take a five credit course in Japanese at a nearby college which there's special program for high school students to get in, you must either extremely smart, or insane. I know that I'm not exceedingly smart, so therefore I'm insane. But since when is this new? It also doesn't help that I'm convinced that our professor is sadist. No, he doesn't seem to be at the start, but we have a quiz every class (twice a week) and an exam at _least_ once a month, sometimes twice. Does this explain why I'm a little late and sloppy now when it comes to chapters?

By the way, I have no idea where the idea for Hagrid's class came from.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chapter Thirty Five: Notes

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Malik watched the white ceramic sink for a minute more after the potion had sunk down, gurgling. The last of the fluid drained away, and Malik turned the facet, and released a torrent of water to rinse out the cauldron. He turned it upside down, to let it drip dry. He leaned on one of the sinks. "Boredom," he stated, his voice echoing in the bathroom.

Yami Bakura snorted. "This isn't really boredom."

"Mmm."

"Try being in the same set of rooms for a millennia or two."

"That might be a higher level of boredom," Malik agreed.

"Want to scheme something up for that brat?" Yami Bakura asked with a long sided look.

"Malfoy?" Malik paused to consider it.

"Don't tell me you don't have a single idea how."

Malik frowned.

"_Oh_. You've been around Yugi too long and picked up the overdone, damn sense of morals," Yami Bakura said, his voice dripping with disgust.

"It's not that... It's just this is a new start and I don't want to alienate anybody."

Yami Bakura laughed sharply. "Ron looked as those he wouldn't have minded someone murdering the brat."

Malik grinned. "True..." He was starting to feel a little reckless. Swiftly, he stifled the feeling as he felt his yami mentally stirring. "We don't know enough about this culture to do much," he offered as a token excuse.

Yami Bakura looked at him, seeing past the excuse. He raised an eyebrow. 

"Isis wouldn't like it." That sounded pathetic, even to him.

"She won't know since we won't get caught," Yami Bakura said this as though he was speaking to a small child.

Malik shook his head. His earlier blood lust had faded away, and now he was frightened by how potentially close he came to doing something that could have called upon his yami. Malfoy did deserve something to happen to him though...

Yami Bakura looked at him, his posture clearly convoying he was of the opinion that Malik was a fool. Then he peered at him a little more closely, looked irritated. "Him?" His disgust, though still present had turned to a different target.

Malik looked at the gray stone over Yami Bakura's shoulder, not answering.

Yami Bakura rolled his eyes. Malik thought he heard a muttered 'overcautious dolt,' and 'so much for not being a goody two shoes' but he wasn't positive.

"What time is it?" asked Malik hoping to for a more neutral topic, and one that wouldn't involve him agreeing to look for the Slytherin common room.

Yami Bakura fished in his pocket for a second before pulling out a scratched watch that one of the leather straps had fallen off. "Almost time for Care of Magical Creatures."

"Mm. We've finished up Pogrebins last time, wonder what thing it's gonna be today," Malik said.

"Might even be something worth sticking around for," Yami Bakura said, pushing off the sink's rim, to stand upright. 

"Hope so, cause unlike you I'm stuck."

Yami Bakura's look was condescending as he opened the restroom's door.

Outside the restroom, before they had gotten more then a hundred paces, McGonagall saw them. Yami Bakura slowed, and she walked to them.

"I've been told about Potions."

Yami Bakura shrugged. "He rubbed me the wrong way."

McGonagall looked as though she was about to nod in fervent agreement, but with tight, white lips, she restrained herself. "Never the less, both of you are going to have to come with me so I, as the Head of your House, and Snape as the professor who's class it was, can discuss the issue."

"But we need to go to Care of Magical Creatures," Malik said as a token attempt to escape, confronting Snape now was folly.

"A note shall be written to excuse you," McGonagall said, a touch curtly, showing her disapproval of the meeting of the meeting and Snape as well.

The two fallowed her to an old classroom. It looked as if had not been used in over a century, and had been abandon in midclass, because the sentence on the bored broke of in midword, and many of the chairs had not been properly shoved back under the desks. On one desk sat a folded piece of parchment with little hearts and the only sign of who it was meant for was the single word, 'Darling' written in extravagant cursive.

Unfortunately, the person who sat at the teacher's desk was not nearly as endearing. Snape looked up from a sheaf of papers, his expression bitter.

"Sit."

"No thank you, I'd rather stand."

Malik felt as though he could hit Yami Bakura. _Honestly... _However, he didn't sit either.

McGonagall did take the invitation to sit, and perched on top of the desk with the presumed love letter. "We all know that none of you are going to bow your stiff necks and apologize. Men," she said, speaking as if to unruly children.

Malik had a brief flash of outrage before he realized few people could be this offensive by accident. The slight quirk he saw in Yami Bakura's eyebrows and the unnatural neutral ness of his mouth told that he wasn't fooled either. They both turned to watch Snape.

Snape's face had turned red and he looked as if he was going to explode in anger. 

Malik felt a slight feeling of security seeing the look of McGonagall, kin to one a cat that was teasing a dog by standing on a fence, quite clearly in sight, but just as clearly out of reach. She toyed with the letter beside her, smoothing the wrinkles out, leaving it in a uniform folded shape.

"Then what do suggest we do," Snape asked, his voice filled with anger.

"Figure it out yourself," she snapped.

The three glared. Malik broke the tension and sat on top a desk.

"I don't have time for this," Snape said irate. "I have a class to teach soon."

"And think I suddenly have increase in my schedule, and now have no time for Potions," Yami Bakura said calmly. "Good day." He almost was to the door.

"Wait," Snape said, looking like he was surprising even himself.

"Mmmh?" Yami Bakura paused, his hand in the processes of reaching for the handle.

"I'll try give more specifications," he said, his tone defeated.

Yami Bakura nodded.

Malik sensed that Yami Bakura was about to make a final remark, which might send the whole mess back downhill again. He grabbed his wrist. "Well, need to go, Care of Magical Creates."

"Ah, let me give your note." McGonagall pulled out a quill and a piece of paper. She scribbled down something quickly. "Here."

Yami Bakura received it, and took a quick glance at it, with Malik looking over his shoulder. He smiled a little when he saw it must have been a form letter. Thee only ink that was wet was on the words 'Hagrid,' 'Mr. Ishtal,' and 'Mr. Bakura.' it obviously could handle more then two student, as the line for names went across the entire page.

"It makes things easier," she said, shrugging. She stretched her arms. "Such a nice classroom," she said, sighing. "Pity it goes to waste… Maybe I'll change my office to here. I wouldn't have to do much, just have the elves dust, and the board scrubbed. And this thrown out," she added, holding up the piece of paper that had lain there for untold years. Her eye looked around the room dreamily, until she saw Snape. She gave her head a little shake. "Throw this away, would you," she said, briskly. "And go to class."

Yami Bakura took the note and threw it into his bag. Malik, glad to finally leave, took the lead out of the room and down the hallway. When they had gone a hundred yards, Yami Bakura halted.

"Why didja stop?"

"She obviously wanted us away so she could talk to Snape."

Malik smirked, seeing the line of thought. "And with the note, we don't need to worry about being late…"

The two softly crept up the hallway, keeping to the walls. 

"—And really, another Potions professor could have prevented this incident," McGonagall said, trying to persuade Snape of something.

"I doubt it."

"The professor could have taken over for you this year."

Snape snorted. "I'm not bedridden."

"All of August you were," McGonagall said softly. "The only reason Poppy let you out of the Infirmary was that you had called her all those names and had insisted that she speed heal you. I still can't believe you did that. What if there had been a horrible accident?"

"You mean Potter stinking his nose into a hornet's nest, and getting stung." 

"He doesn't go looking for trouble."

"Could have fooled me…"

There was a long silence.

"Memory Potions?" McGonagall asked, her voice carrying rebuke.

"Yes."

"Why do I suddenly get the metal image of you drinking the ones that you had thought the most promising?"

"I don't know the inner workings of you're mind."

"Severus, you sound exactly the same now as you did many years ago when I asked you had hexed James Potter with the Curse of the Bogies. Did he take your common sense when he scarred your face? Even when you were fifteen you knew better then to do some of the stuff you've done today!

"Minerva," Snape said, his voice cracking, "I have no idea what he did besides that! Do you have any idea of many sleepless nights I've spent since then? Wondering what secret I could have betrayed? It's a good thing I didn't know that we would be teaching the three most power filled wizards in the world! Albus still has a chance of keeping them a secret from him, so there still a decent chance that they can be used effectively against him!"

"As weapons?" McGonagall asked, her voice colder then winter. "They're too innocent for that. One of them reminds me kitten, its eye wide, as it just discovered the world, and in constant danger of tripping over it's own paws."

Snape snorted expressing his opinion on the supposed 'innocent ness'. "The have spent over fifteen years in the muggle world. The aren't innocent." 

Another long silence stretched out. 

"We both have class to teach," McGonagall said, her voice still cold.

Malik scrambled behind a chair, and watched a black robe pass.

"Clear." Yami Bakura said, a minute later.

"That was…interesting," Malik commented quietly as he ran down the stairs. 

"Yes."

"How did Bakura react to you telling him that you walked out of Potions class?"

"Well… until he realized that he'd take the blame for it." He chuckled.

Malik smiled.

"He didn't like how I handled Snape." A smirk was in Yami Bakura's voice.

"I might agree with that."

Yami Bakura snorted. "He was thinking that he actually had figured me out."

Malik rolled his eyes. Yugi looked naïve, but Bakura could some days take the prize, hands down. 

Hermione shivered as another gust of wind blew, and wished she had bought her cloak for the dozenth time. Beside her, Ron was muttering darkly, and glaring at Malfoy, and occasionally whispering about Potions class with Harry.

Hermione looked longingly at Hagrid's hut, hoping he would come out soon with what ever blood-thirst creature he had found. Malik and 'Ryou' emerged in the crowd beside her.

"Glad to see that you still look alive," Ron commented. "Snape let out class early, and looked like he was going to murder you."

Yami Bakura smirked. "He didn't. We won."

"We won?" asked Yugi, his eyes hinting at 'you didn't…'

"The verbal battle," Malik quickly added.

"Oh."

Malik looked at Harry who Hermione saw was still looking at the _Daily Prophet_. "What happened?"

"Malfoy and this," Harry said bitterly, waving the paper.

"Oh?"

"A bunch have reporters have been writing twisted stories about Harry ever since the Triwizard Tournament and him saying that You-Know-Who is back," Ron explained. 

"You-Know-Who?" Malik said, temporarily puzzled. "Oh, Waldimort. Or was it Voldcourt?

Hermione covered her face. "Now I know why you're failing History." Hermione realized the person who name he had mangled. She didn't know whether to laugh or…

Harry was laughing, almost silently. He was bent nearly double. Hermione could not see if he had tears running down his face, but she didn't doubt it. Ron looked a little sick, perhaps envisioning what would happen if He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named knew. She was feeling a little queasy herself.

Harry finally stopped laughing and wiped his eyes. "None of that made any sense to you."

Hermione remembered that had told them next to nothing about the adventures they had each year. 

"None of have much homework tonight, so how about I explain?"

Yugi nodded. "That would nice, Harry."

"I got 'em 'ere," Hagrid said, coming out of his hut, a bathtub in his hands. He put the bathtub on the ground. "Ten points ter who'ver cin light a bonfire." 

Several jets of flame shoot out of wands. Hermione couldn't get hers fast enough to try. She did however, see Malfoy's fire had not gotten anywhere near the place where Hagrid had chosen; instead it looked as though he had been aiming for Harry, but had almost gotten Yugi who was just a little to Harry's right. Yugi sidestepped it.

"I think Dean was the firs'," Hagrid said. "Ten points ter Gryffindor."

Yugi said a quiet congratulations to Dean.

Hagrid showed them what was in the tub to be salamanders, which he put into the flames. He told them about salamanders, like that they must be fed pepper if out of a fire, and that they only live as long as the fire they where born in burns. However, one of his next facts wasn't so pleasing. They would be draining the blood form them. While the salamanders where still alive. Many students turned green at that. Luckily there where some jobs that didn't require killing the little creatures in your hand, but not as many as was needed. Hermione after her third sliced, pale, scaled body had been put up on the rack to let the blood drain into the pan. Ron joined her soon afterwards. Both Yugi and Malik had the sense to not even try to offer to help with the knifing. Harry had distinctly faint green tinge to his face when class ended, but he had been one of the few who had kept cutting. Predictable, everyone went to the nearest bathroom to wash his or her hands. She saw Ginny threading her way across the crowd to one of the stalls. 

"Ginny," she cried over the clamor.

Ginny looked up, seeing her, and changed her path. "What's with the sudden flux? Hagrid do some rare magical form of poisonous mud toads?"

"There's no such thing." Hermione rolled her eyes.

"He could have bred them illegally."

Hermione chose to ignore that, though with Hagrid it might not have been so unlikely. "I've been wanting to talk to you."

Ginny sighed. "About what?"

"Yugi."

"Mhh."

"I know that you asked Ryou less then six hours before," Hermione said softly.

"Yeah," Ginny admitted trying to mask the Weasley blush she had inherited.

"Have you ever heard that you shouldn't date on the rebound?"

"I wasn't dumped," Ginny protested.

"You could have at least waited a day," Hermione pointed out logically.

"It just felt right at the moment." Ginny squirmed, looking uncomfortable.

Hermione shook her head. "Well, at least we know Yugi will be honest once it becomes apparent it's not working out."

"Yeah…"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Next chapter: Harry explains a little and Hogsmeade! 

A couple of times now people have asked when I'm going to do some action scenes, let me point out this isn't an action/adventure fic. I could joke, and say that the reason it is partly mystery is because it's a mystery when I'm going to get to them. But there are _some_, and I have some half written. Anyway, spring break is coming, but (sorry) this doesn't mean an increase in updates. I'm going back over old chapters and gonna edit them. This means that all reviews and large parts of the A/Ns are going to be cut out. Just so you know. I'm in one of those moods; so if I seem a little snappy, blame my algebra.


	36. Ch 36: Hogsmeade

Don't kill me.

Yeah, I'm planning to write more of this. The another chapter should be out by Christmas. I'm in a very slow process of editing and revamping this.

This last year has not been good to me. My cat died, and that was minor compared to some other stuff. My best friend who's almost a sister to me... I found out that she had once nearly slit her wrists. She also a cutter. A month ago... she cut her self over 20 times one day. By the way, I found out last week that she had nearly killed herself multiply times.

I'm pissed/hurt/confused... Which might be why I'm posting this at four AM.

The editing is baaaaaaaaad, and a beta-reader.

_**What has happened thus far:**_

It is Harry's fifth year at Hogwarts. Malik has the Rod, Ryou the Ring, and Yugi the Puzzle. The Ancient Egyptian arc will be primarily ignored.

Dumbledore is teaching DADA, because another professor can't be found. Professor Snape has returned to Hogwarts late, with a scarred face and haunted eyes. Recently, Malik and Yami Bakura overheard Snape arguing with Professor McGonagall over his consumption experimental memory recovering potions. Ginny and Yugi are going on a date the next day in Hogsmeade, but before that is an explanation of Harry's exploits has been promised.

OoOoOoOOoOoOoOOoOoOoOOoOoOoO

Chapter Thirty Six: Hogsmeade

OoOoOoOOoOoOoOOoOoOoOOoOoOoO

The evening came both too quickly and too slowly for Harry Potter. One hand he already knew that Malik, Yugi, and Ryou had pieced together some of the picture. They had even been with them when the dementors came. The pressing question then was 'what in the world those things where and did they just try and kill us?' However, Harry Potter's wish for time to slow or speed up were not heeded, as normal. Night came at its usual time, heralded by the sun's setting. Homework had been finished, amazingly (only because Hermione had threatened to hex them all if one word not related to their essays was uttered), and dinner eaten. It was time for Harry to fulfill his promise to explain what Malfoy had been baiting him about. To do that one would need to describe a good portion of Harry's life, hence Hermione's steadfast refusal to discuss anything until homework was done. Now it was time for Harry to speak.

He let Hermione tell most of what happened on one late October night, and all he said was the dialog of the last minutes of his parent's lives. How James had told Lily to run with Harry, and how Lily had pled for Harry's life. After that Hermione had taken up the tale once more with various explanations for Harry becoming the Boy-Who-Had-Bloody-Lived. 'Ryou' seemed more interested in the reason Harry had lived than Harry himself.

Next came the story of the first year at Hogwarts, not nearly as painfully emotionally nor mentally for Harry. In fact some parts of it were sort of neat to describe. Also Ron and Hermione could tell it which left him rather free. When it came to light that Voldemort had been hiding under the turban, 'Ryou' wondered aloud if it had been stifling, and Malik questioned the intelligence of who ever hired Quirrell. The second and third years were glossed over, and Harry said that what really mattered there was the fact that Trelawney had made a prophecy at the end of exams.

The fourth year, came next. That one Hermione told, with Harry staring into the fire. Finally, Harry told of the end of the third task, death of Cedric, and rebirth of Voldemort. No one interrupted, sensing Harry's complete unease in telling. He finished with a quick explanation of Barty Crouch Jr., alias Professor Moody.

"Who hires these people?" asked Malik.

"Um..."

"Headmaster Dumbledore, I think," answered Hermione.

"Then he must be more gullible then Yugi," Malik muttered.

Yugi glared and sighed.

Ryou had been chewing on his lip, only half listening to them till then. "Malik, what you and he-- I mean, me over heard Snape telling Professor McGonagall..."

"Oh!" Malik explained the odd conversation they had eavesdropped on. "Any idea what it means?"

Harry had an inking of an idea involving being caught as a spy. "Not really," he lied. Somethings were best kept to one's self, but... he disliked keeping secrets usually.

"The government hasn't acted yet?" asked Yugi, frowning.

"They think I'm unbalanced, courtesy of Skeeter, a reporter."

"We're screwed," Malik said with great feeling. "A quite likely corrupt government, at least a three hundred followers of a guy who people won't even name, and no unite."

Ryou shrugged. "It might not be as bad as you think."

Malik snorted.

OoOoOoO

The Halloween trip to Hogsmeade had come at last. Harry stepped out of the horseless carriage, his beaten tennis shoes thunking soundly on the cobblestones. He looked at the various decorations that had been set up for Halloween.

"Stop blocking the door!" Ron demand from behind him.

Harry moved, and Ron jumped down. Ginny and Hermione emerged from the dark carriage as well.

"See you later," Ginny said, waving, her eyes already tracking someone.

"Fine," Ron said, distracted.

"Yugi!" Ginny called over the crowd, signaling. Harry watched the two meet, and wander off in the general direction of Dervish and Banges. He hid a slight smile as he watched Ginny's hand seek Yugi's, glad that her crush on him had disappeared.

Harry looked at Ron slightly confused; why Ron hadn't blown up at his little sister's date. Wait... Ron hadn't been around when Ginny had asked initially, and Harry doubted that Ginny had told any of her older brothers. He debated on whether or not to tell Ron.

"Right then," Hermione said briskly, "I'll meet you two at the Three Broomsticks at two o'clock."

"Oh?" Harry asked.

"I have a date with Stephan," Hermione said calmly. She walked towards the post office, where someone was waiting.

Harry blinked. Hermione on a date? Mentally, he heard a voice say _well, she is a girl,_ the voice also sounded like Ginny. Ron fumed. "A date," he muttered, "A date! She didn't even tell us!"

Harry sighed, and tuned out Ron's whispered rant. His gaze followed Cho Chang, and wish that he to could have gotten a date. But he felt that to date Cho, he would be stealing Cedric Diggory's girlfriend, even though he was dead; the papers would also write it like that as well, if they found out... Merlin, his life was messed up, if he thought more about the reaction of media rather then the reaction Cho would have.

"Hey," Malik said greeting them. Ryou was a few steps behind, shrugging his cloak over his muggle clothes.

Harry smiled and pointed to Ron discreetly, while rolling his eyes.

Malik looked at Ron, and listened to his mutterings. Malik rolled his eyes as well. "Poor us," he remarked, patting Ron's shoulder. "Both Hermione and Ginny have abandoned us for fairer men."

Ron looked at Malik, thunderstruck. "Ginny's got a _DATE_!" he screeched, garnering several odd looks.

Malik nodded, "Yeah, with Yugi."

"Yugi? Well..." Brotherly instincts warred with the trust of a friend. "I suppose that's okay," Ron finally sighed.

Harry felt a slight relief now that it seemed Ron wasn't going to go looking for Yugi wand in hand and with a second chosen for a duel. Ginny being the only girl (and baby as well) of the family, with six older bothers, any of her early boyfriends would be subject to strict scrutiny, to see if they were fit. Ginny probably had gone out with Yugi for that very reason, Harry figured. You could object to his sense of dress, but any one who was around him for more then ten minutes would see his utter sincerity on any topic.

"Where to?" asked Malik.

Harry shrugged, it didn't make a lick of difference to him. "Zonko's," he suggested, knowing that they had never seen a wizarding joke shop before.

"Why not?"

As they meandered though Hogsmeade, Harry noticed an odd thing. Many of the professors were in Hogsmeade today. Sure, there were always a few, but the usual did an errand or two and then stopped at a friend's home or the Three Broomsticks to relax. However, he had seen Snape sweep by three times, McGonagall twice, Hagrid --often in the distance, due to his height-- over ten times and so forth. He had a sneaking suspicion, remembering his trip to Daigon Ally. Exiting Honeydukes, Harry felt a wave of rage building in him. The didn't need to watch him like a three year old! He had dueled Voldemort himself, and tied! _Ah, but that was when you still had a wand with the same core,_ commented a treacherous voice. Harry objected to that. It was more then any of the other professors could say, other then Dumbledore... and perhaps Snape. The conversation that Malik and Ryou had relayed came back to him.

Snape had been a spy, that much Harry knew. Harry had guessed the night before that Snape had tried to become a double agent again, but Voldemort had known and had tortured him, thus the scars. Harry repressed a shiver; how many other scars did snape have other then the ones on his face? What shape had he been in before Pomfery had treated him? Not even the potion's master deserved what must have happened. Harry felt pity well up inside in his heart. Quickly, he repressed it, knowing that Snape would only scorn it. Rage fluttered through him. Voldemort...

"You okay, mate?" asked Ron concerned, pausing his explanation of Sugar Quills.

"Fine," Harry said, smoothing over his anger.

Ryou looked apprehensive. "Sure it's nothing?"

Harry nodded.

Malik looked around. "That everything, Bakura? Didn't know you liked sweets so much," added Malik, muttering.

"There not for me," Ryou said absently. His hand flew to his mouth, his face showing his regret of telling.

"Really now?" Malik said measuredly, smirking slightly.

Ryou glared. "It's not all that important," he murmured nervously.

"They're for _him_?" Malik smirked.

Harry wished that every now and then, they wouldn't speak in code like that.

Ryou smile was strained. " 'Them who ask no questions isn't told a lie'."

Malik snorted triumphantly. "So they are for him!"

"Yeah, the candy's for Yoru," Ryou said, resignedly.

Malik was caught up short. "Yoru?" he repeated, his victory smirk fading.

"Mh-hm." Ryou counted his money out to the cashier.

Malik frowned. "Yoru... Yoru..." he said distantly. He screwed up his face. "Who the hell is 'Yoru?' "

Harry saw a slight smirk flash across Ryou's face, and disappear. "You may have met him before..." Ryou became interested in a sweets display, but Harry thought it might an excuse to avoid Malik's searching gaze.

"Muggle?" asked Malik, wrinkling his nose at the term he used.

Ryou shrugged, still avoiding Malik's eyes. "Where can we have a late lunch?"

Malik looked at Ryou, and asked in a voice deceptively calm, "Well?"

Ryou looked at Malik, blinked and bit his lower lip. "_Yoru wa mou hitori no boku da."_

Malik blinked. "What the hell did you say?"

Ryou smiled pleasantly. "_Yoru wa mou hitori no boku."_

The other wizard pinned Ryou with a stare, that Ryou met evenly. "Fine. Don't tell me," Malik growled. He started to walk away. "Yet," he added softly, with a malevolent gleam in his eye.

Ryou sighed, and his body relaxed out of its rigid stance.

"Um..." Ron uttered. "Malik, where are you going?" he yelled.

The figure froze. "Aren't you guys supposed to be following me?"

"Not when you're going the wrong way," Ron protested.

Harry bought up the tail of the quartette, wondering. Malik and Ryou had three different modes to get along. The first, they got along and Malik often cut Ryou slack, sometimes giving him a pitting

look. Others, they picked fights, voicing nearly unforgivable comments. The rarest was when Ryou became very defensive and code of the oddest sort was used.

"Lunch?" Ron asked hopefully as the passed the Three Broomsticks.

Harry nodded, his stomach agreeing.

The Three Broomsticks was as Harry remembered. They sat at a booth, Malik and Ron on one side and he and Ryou on the other. The menu appeared on the table. Literally on the table, Malik had to

take his elbows off the top, so Ryou could see the beverage list. Ryou asked several question about what was such and such was. Malik remained silent, eyes scanning the menu. Madame Rosemerta came to take their orders.

"Do you have vegetarian dishes?" Malik asked.

Ryou stared, eyes wide.

"What about Violet Potatoes?" she suggested, frowning thoughtfully.

"It has no meat ingredients at all?" Malik checked.

She nodded.

Malik shrugged. "Sure."

Ron ordered a butterbeer and half of an infinite chocolate cake. Harry order fish and chips, which he had not eaten since the Dursleys had heard he was wizard. When it became Ryou's turn to order, he was startled and pointed to a random entrée, and asked for a water as well. She nodded, and left to attend to another table.

"You're a _vegetarian_?" Ryou exclaimed, staring intensely at Malik.

Malik looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "That's what my choice would imply."

"He's been living on salads," added Ron, ducking as a bottle flew over his head to land in front of him. He uncorked it, and sipped, grinning happily.

"After what you did this summer!" Ryou hissed almost helplessly.

Malik shifted uncomfortable.

Ryou began to mutter darkly in Japanese.

"Ryou, I can't understand you... so shut up," Malik said, drumming his fingers on the table.

Ryou smiled and looked faintly sick, and when his food came, he only picked at it. After leaving money to pay for his meal, he left the mostly full dish and left.

Ron toyed with a bottle of Butterbeer, and looked at Malik. "What does you being a vegetarian have to do with what happened last summer?"

Malik's were eyes distant and regretful. "Nothing."

OoOoOoO

Harry sighed, watching Malik and Ron toy with their Butterbeers, bored. It was almost two o'clock. The only conversation that Ron was capable of involved Hermione, and Malik was lost in his thoughts. Abruptly, the said Egyptian sighed.

"Eh?" Harry asked, breaking the silence in the midst of the bustle of the Three Broomsticks.

"Nothing..." Again he sighed.

"Sure," Harry said sarcastically, "You sigh twice in a minute over nothing."

Malik gave a reluctant smile before propping his chin up on his hand. "I'm fine."

"But worried about Ryou?" Harry pressed. Malik's eyes had been so full of pain and regret the past hour and Harry hoped for a change of emotions.

"A little, but not much."

Ron snorted, joining the conversation. "You're worried that your little tiff could ruin a friendship," he commented in one of his rare, undeniable correct insights.

Malik didn't say anything, but the silence spoke for itself.

"He'll get over it in a couple of hours." Ron said, leaning back. "Unlike me, he doesn't hold grudges long."

"It happened months ago," Malik commented miserably. "Ryou never seems to hold any resentment long, but he does, only hidden." He buried his head in his arms, which were on the table.

"Worst happens is that he doesn't talk to you for the rest of today, mate." Ron stated. "It might help if you explain why he's so mad at you too," he added with such an ill hid curiosity that a three year old would have been able to see though.

"Not bloody likely," Malik retorted, gloom lifted at Ron's antic.

Ron shrugged. "He's about as understandable as Hermione. What does she see in Qurkie? He's just a Cha...ser... She has something for Quidditch players! A bookworm like her! She thinks sports are a past time for the those with too much muscle! And then she goes and dates them! Next thing you know she'll be going out with our next Keeper!"

"What if are next Keeper is Parvati Patil?" asked Malik, the question filled with wicked amusement. He looked at Ron, lips fighting to hid a smirk and his eyes dancing. It was the worst hid secret of the Fifth years that Ron had a crush on Hermione. Or at the very (unlikely) least, had a very overprotective brother complex about her.

"You don't think that's why she keeps falling for losers, do you?" Ron asked, panic-stricken.

"No," Harry reassured him before Malik could answer him. And judging by first Malik's smirk and then frown of disappointment, it had been a confirmation. Pulling Ron's leg was just to easy some days. "Besides, we don't know yet who even going to try out for Keeper, it's next weekend when tryouts are held. For all we know it could be you."

Ron snorted. "On a Shooting Star? Hardly. That thing slower then a butterfly. Might as well go buy a toy broom." He slammed his butterbeer onto the table. "Absolute rubbish."

"You still want to try out, don't you?" asked Harry slyly.

"Course I do, you'd have to be Hermione not to. Or obsessed with nonphysical games," added Ron when Malik cleared his throat.

"What if you could use a faster broom?" Harry asked, softly. "Say one that the school owns."

Ron's eyes went wide. "I could try out without making a fool of myself. Can't be accused of cheating either!"

"We'd have to get permission from Hooch and McGonagall first," Harry cautioned.

"So? We have Ryou do most the talking to McGonagall and you talking to Hooch." Ron grinned caught happily. "Maybe we can worm the reason why this year's season is so late, while we're at it..."

Harry snorted. "Good luck. Angelina badgered McGonagall about it for a week. She only stopped because the prof threatened to take away ten points each time she asked."

Ron rolled his eyes. "Bet it's Snape. The Slytherin's team doesn't have anyone to replace. Everyone else at least one vacancy."

"Ravenclaw has to find four more players," Harry commented.

"No." Both looked at Malik, curious to why he thought that Harry's count was off. "I don't think Snape would do that. He's to busy trying to remember what ever it is he forgot."

Ron snorted. "Maybe he had a flash of his old self when he did this."

Malik shook his head, but didn't argue. He toyed with his butterbeer.

"Maybe I can find McGonagall or Hooch and asked about the broom," Ron commented, standing. "If that's okay," he added.

Harry nearly growled. "You noticed that too?"

"Uhh... What, mate?" asked Ron, not sure what brought on this turn of events.

"The increase of professors, here in Hogsmeade this weekend."

"How couldn't you?" asked Ron. "You almost bump into them at every corner."

"I'll bet that's the reason why they postponed that broom game too," Malik figured. "Security concerns. Bet if Fudge wasn't messing with the school so much Dumbledore would cancel it all together. Now he has to settle until there's snow on the ground, so parent won't be so eager to travel here."

"Does make sense," Harry reluctantly agreed. "I guess I should count me self lucky that my permission to visit Hogsmeade hasn't been revoked."

Malik shook his head. "No, Dumbledore's just accepted the inevitable will happen. If you're walking around almost a sitting duck, then those Death Meat people will go after you, a more tempting target. Well, the first few times. Dumbledore's counting on you to survive long enough for help, in the form of professors, to come. After whatever-his-stupid-name-is thinks about people you're close with, they could be in danger as well..."

Malik proceed to outline various strategies that "Voltmorter" (a detached part of Harry's mind wonder wether Malik was trying to mess the names up on purpose) could employ. Time almost seemed to freeze around them while Malik, uncomfortably traced patterns on the table while he pointed out ways Voldemort could cause terror in the wizarding world. They ranged from kidnapping, impersonation, assassination, to wide spread poisoning and planting muggle bombs. The bar seemed not to pay any attention to the three but sailed on its merry way. After what seemed a century, Malik fell quite, not speaking.

"How," asked Ron, recovering after a time of staring blankly at the wall contemplating a hypothetical girlfriend being captured to gain a lever over him, and thus Harry as well. "How can you think of all of this in less then a day?"

Malik's eyes remained downcast and dark, but a faint hint of regret entered. "In the world of duelers, that game we play, there are some who would be terrible Death Eaters. Some stratagems, on smaller scales have been employed in tournaments."

Ron shook his head in disbelief.

Malik shrugged. "Be glad-- please note here that I've spent a lot of time around Yugi, and am only saying what I know he would-- that Voldemort has not yet realized to what heights friendship can help carry you to."

_That would be a very Yugi saying, _Harry reflected_. Voldemort hasn't yet started to employ an methods, other then gather followers... I think..._

"Hi."

He turned his head slightly, seeing Hermione and behind her _Rita Skeeter_.

"What's wrong?" asked Hermione softly.

"What's she doing here?" Ron demanded, pointing at Rita. "Do you even remember what she wrote last year?"

"Yes," said Hermione firmly, "I do. But I also think it inhumane for her to be kept in a jar until June 25." Hermione lowered her voice, "Besides, I have her wand."

Ron snorted, unconvinced. "What did you do? Take her with you on your _date_? Or," A hope kindled in Ron's dark brown eyes, "Was the date just an excuse to go some where out of the way to let Skeeter out?"

Hermione rolled her eyes, "Of course not."

Skeeter who up until now had been watching the conversation with great intensity, her hand occasionally convulsing, tapped Hermione. "You're paying for the food, right?"

Hermione carefully nodded.

Rita proceeded to order the most expensive things of the menu.

"Hey--"

"Ron, let it go," Hermione whispered. "Anyway, before we got sidetracked over my uh-- guest, what we're you talking about?"

"What Voldemort might do," Harry answered glumly.

Rita squeaked and spilled her cocktail over the front of her robes. "Don't say that name!" she hissed, looking around.

Hermione rolled her eyes, she had been around Harry long enough to become used to it. "He's not a demon. As long as we don't fault it, he won't come"

Rita frowned, still looking over her shoulder at every noise, and mopped her robe with a napkin. "In the old days, he did come when you said his name. Sometimes he was there in seconds, and others in a week. Saying it in public was a death sentence."

Harry rolled his eyes, mind eternally whirring at the implications. "He's had it in for me since I was a child. Voldemort can't kill me more then once."

Rita choked on her drink again. "Please for the love of Merlin, don't say that name!"

"Voldemort, Coldenfort, Gortmord, what's in a name?" asked Malik. "Nothing. It's only a combination of syllables, sometimes making sense." He shrugged. "If you don't want to say his name, call him Joe or something."

Malik's sudden ability to pronounce the Dark Lord's name correctly confirmed Harry's suspicions that he had been mangling it on purpose.

Rita who had put down her drink for the moment looked at Malik in amazement. "You're living on borrowed time. No one besides Dumbledore could get away with that."

Malik snorted and rolled his eyes. "This is how the average wizard reacts to Voldemort?"

Hermione nodded.

"I take back what I said. You're not screwed. You're _royally_ fucked."

"I might just stay a beetle forever," muttered Rita, eyes slowly returning to normal.

"And if one person is hurt, it's going to be _your_ fault," Hermione said acidly. "If it hadn't been for that article on the day of the tournament, people might actually believe what Harry and Headmaster Dumbledore have been saying."

Rita snorted. "I still think you were hook-winded, maybe not by Harry, but perhaps by Black, trying to cause mass panic."

Harry eyes flew open, and the green eyes burned with a rage. This woman was _infuriating_. But if she saw sense, and had a retraction printed... "I don't think Black and I had the same core in our wands," he said, teeth gritted.

"You share wand cores?" yelped Ron and Hermione. Skeeter became even more pale. "Blimey," whispered Ron.

Harry winced. Obviously his this was one of those few places where his knowledge in wizarding society wore thin.

"You don't know, do you?" Hermione stared, brown eyes wide. "Usually, that happens with twins or very close siblings. With all most identical personalities."

"Fred and George have the exact same wands. Both eleven inches and willow with dragon string, they can use the other's," Ron informed, tonelessly.

"Well, if it's any comfort, I did have to get a new wand," remarked Harry absently. The second year...

Skeeter looked at him as though she expected him to declare allegiance to the Dark an second now, and would have fled if Hermione had not held her arm with bruising intensity.

_"Hannah, he's a Parselmouth. Everyone knows that's the mark of a Dark wizard. Have you ever heard of a decent one that can talk to snakes? _That's_ probably why You-Know-Who wanted to kill him in the first place. Didn't want another Dark Lord _competing_ with him."_

The whispers of the second years, wondering. The doubt that eventually faded, until the paper's brought them back, with how far he'd go to win the tournament... With both him and Cedric disappearing by portkey, and one not coming back alive...

Skeeter's craving for ratings cost lives. Next year, Skeeter could write. The same woman who looked at him, eyes wide and horrified. Sixteen was not to unlikely an age for some one to have aspirations to be a Dark Lord. Look at Riddle, he firmly planted his feet down that path in the fifth year. Any attacks then could be blamed on him and--

"And I think we've had enough pessimistics for now!" Hermione said in an overly bright voice, still looking a little worriedly at him. "Ron, how are the Cannons doing?"

"Huh-- Oh, them, the Beaters are strong but that's it." Ron was looked out a window, avoiding talk. Silence fell around the table and once more the rest of the bar seemed distant.

OoOoOoO

Remus Lupin looked around Hogsmeade. It had been over a year since he last had come. Yet, it had remained the same as when he had first set his sight on it in his second year when James and Sirius talked him into sneaking in. The world had changed, You-Know-Who rising, then falling, and now rising again, though he had yet to announce it officially. Remus suspected it would be an unpreventable attack when the news came. Perhaps even on the Hogwarts Express, despite the increased security.

Former students waved at him, and a couple even asked him why hadn't come back when the Headmaster had asked him. Remus attempted to explain that the headmaster had wanted him back, but could ill afford the letters of protest. Some of the Hufflepuff third years went away shaking their heads, muttering about the injustices of the world, while one or two of the older Ravenclaw stacked away, murmuring about possible potential for werewolves. Dumbledore was widely regarded be the out side of the world to be crackers, but yet inside the school, nearly everyone maintained loyal, even a few Slytherins. Most seemed to have put out of their minds the mere idea that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named could be back as there were no frequent glances over a shoulder, or perhaps that was because this generation had not experienced those dark times. Beside him, a black dog growled softly, before Remus drifted of into thought.

"Shush, we'll get to Harry eventually."

The black dog looked at him.

"It's not like I can tell where when he's not in my sight." The werewolf muttered. The duo found their way to the Three Broomsticks... eventually. After Sirius decided that he was a 'dumb dog' and chased Snape over half of Hogsmeade. Moony was torn between laughter and tears.

"Will you ever grow up?" he asked his friend when he came back.

Sirius whined, affronted by the idea.

Once inside, Remus scanned the tables, expecting to need to continue onto the next store, as he had with Zonko's and other stores they had favored in their youth. Though Harry may look like a carbon copy of his father, except for Lily's eyes, he held different tastes. However, at the Three Broomsticks, they found him. Hermione and Ron were there as well, with an older woman who's back was tensed. There was also another boy, likely one of those three who were from Japan (as far as Remus knew, blonde hair and such an angular face was not the norm for the Orient, though). He moved closer to the table greeting those he knew along the way.

"Didn't we go though this in the second year?" asked Harry.

Lupin, with in earshot, frowned.

"All this doubt and fear?"

"I wasn't there," said the unknown boy flippantly.

"I'm sorry, Harry," Hermione said, "But...the cores. Not at all a nice thing."

"Mine's snapped, remember?" Harry said. "And since when are rules supposed to work for me? I've done magic that some adult wizards have trouble with; and something that no one's done before."

Lupin inwardly frowned. The entire table was on edge. As Ron looked around with an attempt at being discreet, he saw the werewolf. His face changed perceptively and the whole table looked in the same direction he did. The two Remus had not been acquainted with looked still confused, but Harry and Hermione grinned.

"Professor," said Hermione, pleased.

"I'm not a professor anymore," he reminded her gently.

"Lo," said Harry, using the slang he used only when he felt particularly weary. Remus mentally cursed Voldemort to the ninth hell for bringing this upon someone so young.

Sirius trotted over and leaped on him paws on Harry's shoulder, the closest he could come to a hug. He sniffed the woman , and then the blonde youth. He looked a little confused before sniffing again.

"Remus Lupin, ex-professor," he said introducing himself, and held out his hand.

"Th-the werewolf?" croaked the woman, looking at him like he had grown a second head... a slavering wolf's.

Hermione glared at the woman. "Let's go for a walk," she suggested-- no, commanded.

The woman nodded shakily, and nearly quivering stood up. Seeing the black dog, she paled to sickly preparations, perhaps seeing the dog as a Grim, an omen of death. She scurried away, Hermione keeping up with her at a brisk pace. The woman cut a wide swathe through the crowd, and many a wizard looked at her, in shock, and Remus not for the first time wished he had kept up with the rest of the world.

"Is it true," Ron said slowly, "That back then saying You-Know-Who's name could get you killed?"

Remus looked at him gravely and then sat down. "Yes," he said simply.

Ron laid his for head on the table, and muttered a swearword.

Harry rested his chin on his palm. "That would explain thing's a little..."

"How have you been?" Remus asked, remembering the first time he had talked to James after a close friend of his had been killed. James had been snappish ever since he came to the door, and when he had asked James how he had felt, James had snapped, "_How would you feel if you saw someone who you went to school with for seven years die because of a few syllabus? Two words, for Merlin's sake!"_

"Well enough."

Hermione came back, a minute later, stowing a jar in her bag. "Sorry about her."

"Who was she?"

"Uhhh... Well, you see," Hermione flushed. "She's Rita Skeeter. I sort of found out she was a beetle animagi last year, and she wring such horrible stuff about Harry... I... sortofblackmailedher. It's... complicated," she said, and flushed again.

Lupin raised an eyebrow, but inwardly sighed. Fifteen... at that age the only blackmail they should know how to handle would be that of other students. He was introduced to Malik, one of the students Albus had written about to him and Sirius. The other two, Yogi Moto or Ryo Bakura (or something like that) weren't there. Ron and Hermione were dazed while Malik was frowning.

Sometime later, he was nearly given the Spanish inquisition by the almost adults over what Voldemort had done the last time, in a period un-affectionally called the Terror. He regretted going into the detail he was but, Sirius non-verbal prompts. But slowly... the question came to a stop. Hermione had excused herself to the restrooms, while Ron had gone silent and staring out the window. Harry was indistinctly talking to Sirius, scratching his ears. Malik seemed to be deeply contemplating the meaning of the menu.

The shadows began to lengthen and Remus joined them in their track back to the horseless carriages. Along the way, the rejoined Ginny and Yugi, who as Remus could tell by the breathless laughter and the warm glances, obviously on a date. Another few minutes, and he was introduced to Ryou Bakura. The smirk on his face did not particularly comfort Remus.

When only a round dozen carriages were left, he said his farewell and Remus with large black dog disappeared into Hogsmeade, mist forming.

The second war was coming, and the children could see it better then any.

OoOoOoOOoOoOoO

Any odd stuff comes form writeing/editing at 4am. :P

See the button?


	37. Ch 37: Of Intruders and Interruptions

My sense of time is horrible?

This chapter was impossible?

Anyways, it is only thanks to Oralindie, my magnificent, awesome beta that this was out before June. Trust me on this.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Chapter Thirty-Seven: Of Intruders and Interruptions

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

Yugi was bouncing. Up and down; his spikes bending as they went down, before springing back up. Maybe it was just a slight bounce with each step, but it certainly there, rattling the chains on his pants, interspersing his monologue of Ginny. Both Ryou and Malik managed to tune out his babbling about the date, while Dean had left the dorm around the third rendition about how pretty Ginny's eyes were, and his musing on what the proper term would be because brown was just too plain and there was the ring of amber as well...

Yugi talked about when he went to Dervish and Banges, babbling about the various chess sets he had seen; then on about Honeydukes, and after that Zonko's. All through his account, was a stream of comments on Ginny, some particular twist of words, or tidbit of knowledge that she had shared.

Malik was more concerned with observing Ryou. Each further movement betrayed a slight stiltedness that was strange, almost frightening. It looked like Ryou was in control, rather then his yami, but a toss of head or languorous hand movement proved otherwise.

However, the expression of quiet contemplation was at complete odds with the thief's normal countenance. Yami Bakura's eyes had been glazed over every since Hogsmeade, and Malik was itching to know why.

He also wanted to know more about this Voldemort.

They seemed to have been thrown into a school that had the potential to become a battle ground in a war. Originally, he had asked about this "Dark Lord" because he was curious about how he was going about his domination attempt, but he learned more --at Isis' insistence-- he began to worry. This man sounded more insane then he could every claim to be. Moreover, fourteen years ago or so, he had been systematically wiping out the political structure as almost a hobby, while their current headmaster had been the real target.

Hogwarts was supposed to be the safest place on earth form Voldemort, but the night before, Harry, Ron, and Hermione had regaled them with their experience of the last four years at Hogwarts. Teachers possessed. Magical mirrors and binding contracts unsigned by the contracted. All of was completely unbelievable... almost as impossible as spirits surviving millenniums in golden items.

After hearing their tale, the night before, he had been all nerves, and had condensed it into a shorter form ready to send it of to Isis when the bird that he, Ryou, and Yugi shared returned for Japan, he would also be adding to it what he heard today of the older war. He noticed a lull in Yugi's commentary and took it. He needed to tell the other item holders. Isis was rather fond of Yugi and his yami, though she didn't show it much, while he rather appreciated the dry-humored thief.

"I asked about what the-what-it mort guy," Malik said, calmly.

Red eyes snapped towards him and an idle hand began to trace the Millennium Ring. Yugi sat on his bed, evidently sensing it would be a long conversation.

"Really?" asked Yami Bakura, drawing out the word into an almost threat.

"Yes. He is evidently crazier then all of us combined," Malik said, injecting a bit of humor into the situation quickly.

"I don't think it would be that hard," Yugi offered, shrugging.

Malik and Yami Bakura exchanged glances.

"It is," Malik offered shortly, not willing to say more. If Yugi couldn't tell yet how close they all treaded that bright line between rationality and madness, there was no need to tell him. His Yami likely knew and watched.

"I suppose," Yugi said, shrugging again, his brow creased.

"He's the talk of the town," Yami Bakura said after a moment of silence. He drew out of his pocket a necklace, thick woven chains with a gaudy pendant set in gold. Weaving between his hands, admiring the play of light on the chain, he added, "Not by name of course, or even with easily overheard terms, but they are definitely aware something is changing in the air."

Malik looked at the necklace and then the slight bulge in of the pockets of the thief and had a pretty good idea what he had been up to most of the day in Hogsmeade. "I talked to some one who had been in the thick of it. It was bad. He said that he's against the integration of muggleborns into society, but then kills of families that can trace their ancestry back over three hundred years." Malik plucked a bit of fuzz of his bedspread and rolled it between his fingers. "Blood and parentage seems more important here than we thought."

"You forgot the best part," Yami Bakura said, standing and stretching. "He's of mixed blood and was not raised as a wizard."

"True," Malik acceded.

"That doesn't make sense," Yugi said. "Perhaps he's just hiding what his motive is behind hatred?"

"I'm still going with insane myself," Malik shrugged. "Anyways... you do know that we supposedly have great magical potential? We could easily be targets."

"You're right." Yami Yugi said, sliding out of the puzzle and then settling on the bed beside his light, in transparent, astral from. "We come from the wrong blood, but are powerful. People are going to try to use us."

"You mustn't forget that there are three sides to this as well," Yami Bakura said, smiling darkly. "Anywhere we go, unless it's heading straight out of the country, we will fight. It's unspoken, but expected of Harry to kill Voldemort." His smirk turned blood-thirsty.

Malik snorted. This whole situation seemed to amuse the thief to no end, especially with the chance to kill, or at least maim.

"How are Voldemort's tactics?" Yami Yugi asked.

"He can fight a battle well, I believe—from what I've heard" Malik quickly added. "But he used guerrilla warfare more. All but the most ruthless of his followers appear to be respectable citizens."

Yami Bakura snorted.

"There is Malfoy though," Yugi offered.

"His family is stupid," Yami Bakura dismissed, "As are the other _suspected_ Death Eaters." The chain in his hands disappeared, and other piece of jewelry, this time a ring was in his hands. He twirled it around on his little finger, before trying it on his middle finger. Yami Bakura's smirk grew when Yugi looked away, and Yami glowered. He sat up abruptly before pocketing the ring.

Malik arched an eyebrow waiting for the certainly dramatic statement that was about to come.

"We shall be weapons whatever we try or not..." Yami Bakura said, his eyes closed and hands laced behind hid head. "But what side will choose us?"

"Don't you mean..." Yugi began, but then trailed off, fully knowing what the thief might say.

"No." Malik said softly, comprehending as well. "Our magic... what we use automatically at first..."

"Is unknown," Yami Bakura interrupted. He opened his eyes, and his face twisted further, contorting almost impossibly, into an expression of glee and hate. "And therefore... dark."

"And we come from other countries... One could easily say that Malik is a pureblood of almost extreme proportions, able to trace back his line millennia, while there is a slight language barrier preventing further information from being gathered on Bakura and me..." Yugi said softly.

"We could easily be forced onto the side of the dark lord..." Yami Yugi finished. "But on the flip side, we are already wanted by Dumbledore. He has invited us to this school, and we are in the house that typically produces warriors."

"Or we could be declared abominations and be hunted by both sides in a weeks time," Malik said flippantly.

"I doubt that," Yugi murmured. "Harry and his friends aren't easily swayed like that. They know us."

Malik shrugged; his scenario had been tossed about, but he considered it only a faint, improbable impossibility. He had only used it as an example. He hoped that it would never come to that, for he did not doubt Harry's loyalty, but his abilities and influence.

"Or we could ingrain ourselves so much in whoever's world view that they can't conceive how they could win without us... Wouldn't be hard, the wizarding population's been significantly depleted over the last century," Yami Bakura said, laconically.

Startled eyes turned towards them, and a considering and appraising look kindled in the former pharaoh's eyes.

"Why the hell not?" Malik said rhetorically. "We going to be weapons, might as well choose. So," he turned his Attention to the smirking thief, "What were you up to?"

"Oh, not much; just a little thievery here and there. Played a little. I might have listened to a rumor or two."

Malik shook his head, hiding a smile. The next day's paper would likely have more information then Yami Bakura would part with.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

Scanning the dorm room, one last time, Yami Bakura closed the curtains around his bed. Leaning against the headboard, he let his eyes drift down as he concentrated inward. A second later, the patterns behind his eyelids became clearer and more solid, and he found himself in the corridor between their soul rooms.

He stretched slightly, smiling at the faint hints of incase, old and musty, and stone, cool and dark. It smelled faintly of an old tomb, something he smiled at. It was completely silent, and he smiled again. Silence, one thing that world never had but for the deeper caverns. Always the rustling of grass, the hum of the smallest of begins, everywhere. It stretched through the corridor uninterrupted, only disturbed by the rustle of his clothes and his breath.

With a final stretch, he pushed open the door to Ryou's soul room and heard the faint music providing white noise. Ryou tended to have some noise in the undisturbed silence because with only his heartbeat as company, he tended to get rather jumpy.

Yami Bakura, squeezed between the small gap separating the white blank soul room of his hikari's from the inner room. Eyes flickered over the familiar room, taking in the red and black walls, the scattered pillows. Disks and books were strewn across the floor, with a path barely predictable. Yami Bakura blinked, slightly surprised to see his host curled up in a corner. And while it was padded with cushions and he had a book in hand, his choice of seating was decidedly odd; even more so with the large knife that was half-hidden under one of the cushions, its hilt peeking out.

Ryou's gaze had instantly focused on him the second he had entered, and welcome smile broke out onto his face. Snapping the book closed, and shoving it off his lap, he sprang to his feet. Then his enthusiasm fell short and he mumbled a quiet greeting.

Yami Bakura strode over to Ryou, who moved slightly out of his corner. Stooping down, he grabbed the knife's handle and raised an eyebrow at his light. His fingers idle ran over the knife, checking its edge. To materialize the knife in his soul room... Sweeping a practiced eye over his light, he noticed signs of prolonged tension, as well as the hand that had returned to ideally twist white hair nervously.

"I don't feel safe," Ryou said after a long moment of silence. He hunched his shoulders, eyes darting around. "It feels like something is here, watching."

The thief's scanned the room as well with a quick glance. "Doubtful."

"I know..." Ryou said, and silence once more fell as he searched for words. "It shouldn't be possible... but look at the walls for one."

The seemed about the same. Maybe the crimson was dominating the black more then usual, but it was not to uncommon. But...

"I have never seen the hints of green and purple before."

"They almost look like bruises, don't they," Ryou said distractedly. "You've never seen this happen before?"

"No."

Ryou let out a hiss of breath, unconsciously moving closer to his yami. "Let's go to your room, or the hall."

"Mmmh," Yami Bakura gave the room another once over before beginning to lead Ryou to his soul room. "The feeling... what was it?"

Ryou hunched his shoulders, wincing. "Just... a need to watch my back, something there and _something not nice_. I feel like I should be hiding under the covers, cowering at the shadows. I want to just dismiss it, but then I have the faint impression that I shouldn't rear its head." They passed into the hallway. "It's getting worse," he offered as they came to the door to the other soul room.

Yami Bakura opened the door, openly watching Ryou's face.

It didn't turn milk-white, nor another drastic change, but he flinched slightly.

He let go the handle, watching as the door swung shut, and offered the knife he had absently pocketed back.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Ryou faintly mumbled as he took it back. "I' didn't... I was... Let's go back."

Ryou turned back to his own door and opened it, holding it in invitation for his yami to fallow. They came back to the hidden room, and Ryou threw himself back into his cushioned corner, placing the weapon within easy reach. He then closed his eyes briefly, trying to collect himself.

Yami Bakura slid down beside him. Not offering any reassurances nor ridicule, he waited.

"It's not silly," Ryou said, bearing up his chin, looking him in the eye. "It's not something I subconsciously made up because I got bored." The confidence in his tone slowly grew. "Some things changed. What happened today? I was... irritated with Malik, and then surrendered control to you."

Yami Bakura snorted. "More like you got pissed at Malik, stormed off in huff, then told me to do what ever the hell I wanted. You know yandoushi, you have some issues that seriously need to work out with him..."

Ryou flushed, ducking his head again... "Yeah... I know..."

Yami Bakura continued to watch, smirking. Ryou was replaying that duel against Yami Yugi again from battle city again in his head. Though he had only been aware for the final moments, he had given his memories to Ryou at some point... probably as leverage for something else.

Ryou knew that Malik would have let him die; his opinion of him was very erratic, often changing from day to day. Some days he jumped on the slightest things and Ryou would make snide mental comments, while ignoring Malik. In better moods, he helped Malik with his homework. Blowups such as the one earlier were rare, due to Ryou's desire to not make a scene... something that his dark had been working to rid him of. The ability to fade into the back ground was very usefully, but so could drawing every speck of attention, especially when being a diversion.

"It was rather exciting," said the thief letting himself sink further into cushions.

"Huh?"

"Today," he said smirking staring at the incredible strange walls. "It was eventful." His smirk turned into bloodthirsty grin.

Beside him, he felt the cushion move slightly as Ryou stiffened and then slumped slightly, obviously recognizing he had played a Dark Game.

"It was wonderfully refreshing. I'd forgotten what fun the Games can be --oh don't look like that, I only played a few." he said, smirking as Ryou buried his face in his hands. "Besides, they all seemed to be 'dark' wizards." Yami Bakura snorted, expressing his contempt. "They didn't even understand the rules, two of them lost by just trying to run."

"How many?" Ryou asked, his question muffled.

"The two idiots are dead," Yami Bakura's voice held utter contempt. "They ran, they deserved to die, I even told them!"

His light only shook his head; the thief was sounding like someone had stolen from him... which come to think of it, he probable did regard it as just that. A stolen game.

"Three others lost." He didn't need to elaborate.

"But what happened?" asked Ryou again, still trying to find the source of his unease.

"Nothing else."

Ryou groaned, and tossed a cushion against the far wall.

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

The next day was a Sunday filled with anticipation. Halloween had finally come. Of course, the main celebration would be when darkness fell.

The Great Hall was filled with wizards and witches receiving small gifts from home, muggleborns a few candies, or purebloods given a familiar. It was evidentially a day filled with meaning for the wizarding world, as Ron explained. It was even the day when the Malfoy/Weasley feud had been declared over a century ago. If a victory was won on Halloween, it was said that the dead favored the victory. Ron continued trying to unravel a tapestry of contradicting beliefs for Hermione, with most others only half listening, except for Seamus, his Irish traditions coming into the impromptu lecture.

Dean argued with a fellow Gryffindor muggleborn over football, while Malik watched, occasionally putting in a word on how it was played in Egypt. Yugi waited eagerly for letters form Japan, and though Ryou was to receive a few letters as well, he seemed much more interested in the high table, watching them out of the corner of his eye as Yami pointed out. Of course it probably wasn't Ryou. Deciding that no staff members seemed to missing, Yugi added the idea that discretion would probably be the better idea. Suddenly a newspaper was shoved in front of Yugi, and Hermione was talking quiet urgently to Harry beside him. On the newspaper, the _Daily Prophet_, were several pictures. One was of a women with dark skin and wide, bulging eyes smiling riotously and swaying her head slightly, the moving picture capturing her swaying.

The smiling madwoman was suggested to be the lucky one, four other wizards had been found in Hogsmeade. One man eyes has turned inward as well as his tongue ripped out, while another was rocking himself back and forth, muttering nonsensical. The remaining two wizards had been found dead, bodies with cuts of an unidentifiable animal or possibly curse.

Yugi closed his eyes briefly, blocking out the article.

"It's almost certainly a dark wizard. The deaths are just so..." Hermione's words echoed through Yugi's thoughts as his eyes tracked Kenemu, the falcon he shared with Ryou and Malik, swooping down.

When the bird came to rest in front of him stealing a piece of egg off his plate, Yugi untied the letters fastened the leg of the bird slowly. He muttered the quick string of words as he tapped the papers with his wand awkwardly, once more thankful for the translation spell Hermione had found.

Reading though them, he became calm. Anzu wrote of dance and a possible part in the _Nutcracker_. Honda informed him of Jounochi and Kaiba dueling for lack of better players around, despite (or perhaps because of) their mutual hatred. Jounochi reinforced the almost quite normality... until he read the last of the letter.

_...I'll beat Kiaba next time._

Yugi smiled, and then read the rest the last paragraphs of the letter, frowning as he noticed that they looked hastily scribbled.

_Shizuka had an appointment at the hospital yesterday. Her eyesight is growing worse, it looks like the surgery didn't take. The doctors say she might have as little as three or so months left for her vision. There's another operation they can try, but chances of it actually working long term are slim. However, as the side-effects are minor, I think we'll try it. I'm really glad that I saved almost all the money from Duelist Kingdom._

_She's also been having strange nightmares. Green lights, and battles in some mansion seem to be a recurring theme, as do deaths. The number of times she's woken me up by coming into my room to make sure I'm still there is not funny. It's supposed to be anxiety, but I wonder..._

_Write soon,_

_Jounochi_

oOoOoOoOoOoOo

The Great Hall was festooned with twinkling candles, dried flowers, delicate cobwebs, be-spelled jack-o-lanterns, and fairies racing around the room with streams of ribbons attached. Hermione had smiled at the decor, glad to be rid of the usual garishness of the holiday for once. Students laughed, tossing and trading sweets. The feast itself was magnificent. The sky even seemed agreeable to the celebration; it was clear with only the barest wisps of clouds moving quickly over the crescent moon.

As the candles flickered, a shape became apparent, swooping in form one of the small windows on the wall.

It was a black bird, large; a raven. It carried an acid green scroll. Hermione looked up at it absently, eyes drawn away from the advanced charm book by the movement. She dismissed it as yet another gift for some pureblood, and returned to puzzling out the spatial relocation theory. Her head snapped up as she saw it come closer to the Gryffindor table.

Her sixth sense, the one that told her to grab this book in the library, take down what the professor said word for word, or that Ron hadn't done his homework yet sounded. She took note of her table, seeing both Harry and Ron saw the bird coming.

Beside her, she felt Malik shift as he noticed the bird. Across from him she also saw Ryou and Yugi both staring at the bird, she felt like she had blinked without blinking as she noticed the change in 'Yugi's' hair.

The raven swooped low, and flew down the table, she could almost feel the wing tips brush against her face, and then, what seemed to be an eternity later, her hair flew in the gust caused of the raven's wake. She heard the clatter of the raven's talons on the wooden table as it came nearly crashed into a cake as it came to a stop, right in front of Harry.

The raven let out a loud cry, resonating throughout the hall, calling every eye towards Gryffindor table.

Hermione felt a great tug in her stomach, and the world around her began to spin, whirling rapidly. It was a portkey. _The scroll was a bloody portkey!_

_It must of touched the table (had Harry been touching it?) or have been one of the spatial types. The can transport almost anything,_ Hermione remembered.

The world settled, and the Gryffindor table gave a great creak, and the other students let out one confused burst of noise, and then became silent. Surrounding them in an oval were men dressed in black robes with white masks, wands out and pointing at them. Death Eaters.

The raven beat its wings and with a speed Hermione believed to be impossible, and was once more airborne. Almost immediately, the shape of the raven began to change, blurring and shifting. As it came to the edge of the oval, it became much larger, and then as it (most certainly not bird) landed, it instantly became apparent this was animagus. In the raven's place, stood a woman with dark, thick hair and heavily lidded eyes.

"My lord, the Gryffindors," she said sweeping one lone figure an elaborate curtsy.

The lone figure nodded, and looked at Harry, a nose-less, pale excuse for a face filled with unholy amusement, red eyes glinting it the moonlight, almost glowing in delight.

oOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoOo

By the way, I now have a LJ. Go to ht tp/ste lla wind.live jou rnal. co m/ (remove the spaces), if you want to poke at me. Who knows, I might update faster.


	38. Ch 38: Backwards and Forward

Beta read by Ora, to my relief. Any mistakes are my own, due to my impatience.

This going to start earning it's rating now. Just saying.

* * *

Chapter 38: Backwards and Forward

* * *

A feather, bristled, lay on Hermione's hand, irritating it. The almost sharp barbs fluttered against the wind and her skin, and then a second later the feather was swept off the table, and into the darkness, 

They were in the middle of nowhere, stuffed into a clearing of trees that could be the Black Forest in Germany for all Hermione knew. The wind continued to blow and the trees creaked. The ground was soft, decaying leaves spread around, damp and molding.

Across from her, Malik was silently and efficiently trying to shove Harry under the table with the minimum of movement, taking advantage of Harry's shock. He did with such calmness that it didn't occur to her that it shouldn't be done. As Harry was in all likely-hood the main target, it seemed a sound move. Not that the rest of them weren't important either, but Voldemort probably had something _special_ planned for Harry.

As Bellatrix spoke, proclaiming in wordless posture their defeat, the Gryffindors slowly regained their senses, and began to fumble frantically for wands. Cries were utter by the younger years, and they too, were shoved under the table, in a faint hope of protection. She thought she saw Jena, for a moment, her face pale and eyes, wide, with her mouth expressing no emotion huddle next to another first year, but the moment was interrupted.

The Death Eaters were laughing. There weren't the sinister chuckles she had half suspected to hear, no; the majority of laughter was a sound she heard almost everyday of here childhood, and still at Hogwarts. It was the laugh of a bully. A quiet rage seeped into her as she remembered the useless, wasted hours spent crying.

"Shut up."

She thought that the words had been ripped from her own throat involuntarily for a second, but it was Neville, slowly standing up a little ways down the table.

"Shut up," he shouted again, his voice choked, glaring spitfire at Bellatrix.

"Yes, some of us are trying to eat."

This completely inane (and possibly insane) comment drew all eyes to Malik, who, as he said, was trying to eat, cutting another slice of cake. The look of concentration on his face as he carefully balanced the slice on the knife, bring it to his his plate was surreal.

Hermione fought to keep from her hysterical laughter. What was this? The mad tea party?

* * *

Ronald Weasley, despite many beliefs to the contrary, was not stupid. He may at times be unmotivated, lazy and dozed in class, but he knew a stratagem when he saw one. 

And this was a distraction technique.

When Neville had stood, and yelled at the massed Death Eaters, he had seen the lightning quick glances between 'Yugi' and Malik. The slight almost predictable nod that 'Yugi' had given Malik.

He watched them for a second, and waited for them to include him, almost unthinkingly. They didn't. It wasn't surprising, Ron would later reflect, there had been no real bond formed between them, not like what he had with Hermione and Harry.

He scanned seat next to Malik again hoping to see Harry there but fighting the sick feeling in his threatening to rise. He knew Harry was here... somewhere...

He _hoped_ Harry had suddenly had a moment of brilliant intuition, had found that weakness that would allow them to get away, unscathed, unharmed. He hoped, but thought it to be unlikely. He had faith in him, but not that much. That would require a miracle.

He sent a brief plea to any and every power to keep Harry, Hermione, and Ginny safe, along with everyone else.

He drew his wand, hoping that he could cause at least a small amount of damage if the opportunity presented itself.

Until then, it would be best to stall, as Malik knew.

He hoped.

* * *

Ryou watched Malik carefully slid the knife out from under the cake. It was a ruse, both he and his yami agreed. Something to keep them watching from watching others too closely. 

He saw Yami Yugi across the table nod at him slightly, before he too stood up.

"Sit down," he told Neville, not looking at him using his old, arrogant tone, probably acquired when he was the ruling Pharaoh. "This is ridiculous. We all have better things to do," he addressed the death eaters. "I was planning a duel, and most certainly not going to let this foolishness interrupt one of the first nights I've had a chance to use the holo-projectors in over two months."

"Really?" asked Malik.

"Yeah, Anzu sent charged batteries," the King of Games said in a tone of glee better suited to Christmas then Halloween. "They're back in the room."

Inanely, the memory of the trouble they had since the discovery that the batteries to the duel disks had already lost its charge early that month rose. Ryou had written the multiple letters in Japanese, explaining in explicit detail to Kaiba that no, there were not any power outlets in the school, so thus the chargers were useless. The latest letter had been sent a few days ago to Anzu in a desperate plea for help.

Ryou watched the faces of the death eaters for a second and felt his darker counterpart's sharp amusement at the murderous hints forming. He felt his control begin to slip, and fought in a fear induced bout of mental magic. He _needed _to see how this would play out.

He also needed to keep from slaughtering everyone with in sight, something Yami Bakura would likely do if the shadows snared him for too long.

It was not the first time they had lurked together in meshing like Yugi and Yami often did for games, but it was significantly rarer for them.

Their hair began to spike slightly and smirk snuck onto their face. They should have the upper hand now.

"Now, now," the white haired shadow user began before shifting into a darker tone, "We shouldn't be talking of this now. After all, these wizards-" (oh, the contempt spun into that last word) "-have been kind enough to invite us on this All-Hallows Eve. Don't you think we should... socialize?" Ryou's politeness and Yami Bakura's cutting, faintly masked cruelty shaded the words.

Nervous Death Eater's shifted there gaze to him, obviously not expecting to find one such as him (them?) in Gryffindor.

The Dark Lord cocked his head ever so slightly, eyes flickering between the three.

Yami Yugi met his gaze, defiantly. At some point, he had taken out a sickle and was absently flipping it, not bothering to check what it came up as before letting it twirl skyward again. The faint chiming and hum of the coin over the slight moans and barely covered cries of fear further advance the disjointed feel of the confrontation.

"Want to call it?" He asked, in carefully measured tone as he felt the coin high into the air.

The call went unanswered and the coin fell, glittering in the eerie witch-light. It landed at the Dark lord's feet with a soft thump that was barely discernible despite the unbroken silence that had slowly emerged when Yami Yugi began to toss the coin.

Yami Yugi shrugged, unconcerned by the loss and the apparent disinterest shown.

"You are not a man to rely on luck are you?" he asked, nonchalant. "Strategy, planning... cunning, as I would guess you would term it, is what you play."

"I do not play..." hissed the Dark Lord, not sensing or not caring that he was being led into a trap.

Yami Bakura chuckled. "You do not play. You win." Or at least believes that he will win in the end... was unspoken between him and Ryou.

Slit-pupil red eyes met eyes the color of drying blood. Ryou felt himself freeze within the mind-meld and begin to separate from it further, rushing to take back control, as did Yami Bakura.

Lazily, Voldemort waved his wand.

Memories swam around him as the the green light streaked towards them. Snatches and dreams.

_"I bought this for you at a bazaar near the dig. It's supposedly from the eighteenth dynasty, but the shape to it is off."_

_"Amane's dead."_

_"I am a thief and a stealer of souls."_

_"Why do you need the Items?"_

_"Owww."_

_He really doesn't play, does he?_

_No..._

* * *

Forget angry, _forget _seething, Harry was enraged when Malik had forced him under the table by way of more muscles and a well timed full body bind. 

They had no idea, no concept and only the faintest of clues of what the Dark Lord could do. Harry knew that he had only survived the past years at Hogwarts by the skin of his teeth. By luck, he would admit, but he still had a better idea than they did.

They were going to get themselves killed.

When Voldemort raised his wand to deal with Ryou, Harry was not bewilderment, but only felt the deep dread within him crystallize.

He began to struggle as hard as he could against the spell wrapped around him, throwing all the magic he could muster against. He felt himself draw upon some deep well he had never touched expect for in his childhood. It was like molasses, slipping through his grasp slowly, but leaving a sticky residual... enough residual power to work with.

He could see the air around Voldemort blur for a second. The blur then rippled, as if it was funneled into the wand.

"Avada Kedavra."

The streak of sickly eldritch green light split across the clearing for a brief second one could almost imagine what a beautiful sight the clearing would be like in high summer with the canopy of leaves filtering the sunlight to green.

The spell hit its intended target and Harry saw the look of utter shock cast over Ryou's features, frozen. He twisted as the green light hit him, and the body then fell to the forest floor.

Screams and sobs erupted.

"Bakura!" Yugi yelled, his voice less confident then before and grief filled. "Bakura?"

Malik was silent for a second, and then, right beside Yugi kneeling by the prone body. His fingers rushed over Ryou's wrist; Harry vaguely realized from half forgotten lessons he was checking for a pulse.

He grimly twisted out from under the table, barely realizing that the sharp prickling across his skin was the shattered body-bind. He stood straight gathering himself to his full height. Harry drew his wand.

"_Expelliarmus_," Bellatrix merrily sang out, and his wand shot out of his loose grasp to her waiting hand.

Harry started steely at her, as at the wand rocketed away, not caring overly much. He had lost his wand before in other fights with Voldemort. This one wouldn't have done much anyway, it's wasn't his true one. The wand that had been broken that summer containing the phoenix feather from Fawkes. Harry would later know that it had been only a few seconds, but it felt like a small eternity to him as panic drifted though him, and then vanish. Voldemort smirked and Harry understood him perfectly. There weren't going to be any magical blood protections or a Prior Incantato to save him now.

Oddly enough, this knowledge had calmed Harry. Everything was out in the open. No hidden clues that he had only fourteen seconds to decipher or hidden treachery he hadn't unmasked tainted his thoughts. No what ifs, only a phlegmatic facade.

For an infinitesimal second Harry met Voldemort's eyes.

Behind he heard shouting and while he was still trying to comprehend what was being said, he was shoved aside.

A dark blur filled his left field of vision. Harry blinked but the shape continued to be blurred and became two. He realized with chagrin that his glasses had been knocked off his face by the shove. But while he couldn't see, he recognized the voice well enough. It was Yugi, without a doubt sounding more enraged and disturbed then Harry every thought he could be.

'Yugi' cursed Voldemort in some unfamiliar language, coldly and enraged the words he was hissing sounding akin to Parseltounge to the untrained ear, and each syllable filled with lapping malcontent.

A spell or side effect had begun to lighten the air around 'Yugi,' illuminating his figure and Harry felt blindly for his glasses. He knew the Death Eaters were becoming unnerved, shuffling around, confused, and suddenly frightened. As he was. Nothing he had seen compared to rush of magic around him, tinting the air with malevolent hunger. Harry thought that was what stayed Voldemort's hand from killing him off hand as well.

Harry felt the joint of one side of his glasses, and with a cursory wipe of a lens, he jammed them on. They were askew, but allowed him to stop feeling that he'd be more useful as a bat. The Dark Lord's head titled slightly, intrigued. Eye's narrowing perceptibly, and face expressionless, he listened. The words Yugi was shouting (was it really Yugi?) began to crescendo each holding a promise of pain and defeat.

Behind him he heard rustling of clothes, and short gasps of breath. He did not turn his head, to see what Malik was doing, Voldemort was the most dangerous one here.

If Harry had looked behind he would have seen a fantastical sight that many would have deemed impossible.

Bakura was standing up. He had risen to his feet.

Malik's breath had evened out slightly, before coming in greater and greater gasps.

Voldemort stared, as did everyone but Yami Yugi who was still cursing Voldemort in Ancient Egyptian --calling down vengeance from the gods themselves,-- and Harry. The were staring at the thought to be dead body that was now rising up.

However, when a loud voice calling out much cruder curses in Ancient Egyptian, they all took notice. The thief stalked towards Voldemort, calling out a long chain of words, each syllable becoming more mocking. He had closed the gap between them to less then two meters.

Malik screamed.

His scream resounded though the clearing, like it had been only part of a larger one that he held back until now.

The world inverted.

Malik still screamed, loudly as though his whole world had been ripped for him and all that he remembered was the pain.

Around Harry, shadows bled in other shadows creating not a mosaic of inky blackness, but of dark blues and purples melded together. Or perhaps it was all black and the mist floating around them relieved it.

The Gryffindors were alone. The Death Eaters had not followed them. Of course, they didn't know how.

Malik continued to scream, his own appearance fluctuating, his hair twisting around him. His voice changed, one moment his and the next, the screams were suddenly cut off. His eyes flew open before narrowing into slits, and then once more snapping open.

_"Petrificus Totalus." _'Yugi' said softly, looking deeply disturbed.

Malik didn't try to dodge the spell, and fell. His eyes still moved, but they weren't looking around in desperation for help. His breathing grew more shallow.

A sharp shout from Ginny caused Yugi to turn and catch the punch that Bakura had swung.

Harry blinked and still the sight of his two year-mates fighting remained. This was almost too much for him. First Ryou is hit by the killing curse. Then he bloody survives it. Survives an _Avada Kedavra_ from Voldemort's wand. Something that was supposedly impossible until he done it, though no one knew how. _Does that make him the Youth-Who-Lived?_ Harry dismissed the absent thought.

Then to further confuse matters, Malik --someone who Harry thought that he knew rather well-- begins to have a screaming fit that must involve magic. It was just too much of a coincidence for them to have suddenly been brought there as Malik had started to scream.

Well, maybe they would know the reason both he and Ryou had lived. If they got out of here. And Bakura didn't get himself killed accidentally.

'Yugi' managed to separate himself from the fight to yell, "Someone stun him!"

Ron rapidly fired of a set of stunners and the last one hit. Bakura slumped into unconscious.

'Yugi's' harsh breathing resounded around through the air. He pushed the limp body off of him.

The wave of frightened chatter washed around Harry until a Lee Jordan hollered for silence using a voice trained from announcing Quiddicth matches.

"Thank you," he said as silence fell. "Now does any one have any idea of were we are?"

"Well..." said Katie Bell slowly. "It sort of looks like we're in the Apperation Layer."

"But we aren't!" Hermione protested. "The Layer is supposedly more muted and foggy. This isn't it. Besides, that would mean that we just did a mass apperation on a level that hasn't been seen since the Great Goblin Wars."

"I was just saying," the seventh year said defensively.

"So where are we?"

"More importantly," Hermione interrupted in a rare show of academic disinterest, "How do we get out?"

Clumps had formed quickly after they had arrived and murmuring now swept though each.

"Portkey--?"

"How can we get out if we don't know where we are?"

"Maybe we should see if there's a broom around?"

"How would we create one?"

* * *

Yami Yugi maneuvered himself away from the knocked out Bakura. This was not going well.

Ginny slid down beside him, and Yami acknowledged her with a wordless nod.

"You okay?" she asked softly.

"Fine." He felt her gaze press against him, wanting answers that he knew not to say. This magical world was too dangerous to tell secrets in. They would probably wind up in prison as the government was structured. There was not much chance for deviation from the norm.

"Are they going to be..." She didn't finish her sentence.

"I hope so." He didn't know. First Malik had brought them here, or at least that was the most likely scenario, and then Yami Bakura had attacked him in a mindless rage after being hit by an irreversible spell that should have killed him. "Are you alright?"

"Just a bump or two."

"Ah..."

"So," Ginny took a deep breath before recounting, "Remember when Malik got his wand? This place, it's the same as the one he took us into when he first used his wand."

He had forgotten that. "It does appear to be," Yami finally settled on saying cautiously.

"You know h-how... You know how to get out of here don't you? Is the way you know even an option?"

He looked at her startled. "You are very intuitive. I don't. But we cannot linger here long, Ginny."

She seemed to only grow stronger at his statement. "Offer to cast any spells then. You are supposed to have a lot of power," Her eyes darted to the two prone forms on the ground. The new foreign students it had been whispered by the gossips had an extraordinary amount of magical energy. "See if you can do anything. Please."

She hugged him. Yami stiffened, and then relaxed into her embrace, offering comfort back.

"I will. Thank you."

Hermione was quickly debating several more esoteric points of mass apperation with a group of older students, trying to diagram her ideas without paper. The complex magical terms flew between them such that Yami could only extrapolate what they meant.

"--I still say we should just try to apperate one of us back and get help!"

"And go where? Certainly not back there!"

"Hogwarts!"

"You _can't_ apperate into Hogwarts. There are wards!"

"You can't survive the killing curse either."

A silence fell over the groups and one by one each looked to the still stunned Bakura and then to Yami.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Yami asked, taking the pause.

Yugi smiled sadly in the back of his mind, sending a calmness into him. He might not know how to get so many people out of the shadow realm; there was no Dark Game to play. But he was going to help as best he could.

"How did we get here? Was that ...spell you were yelling part of it? Or was it Bakura's?"

"I think it was Malik," Yami admitted carefully.

"Well he doesn't seem to be in any position to confirm or deny it," mumbled one. "And I honestly don't favor the idea of sticking around here..."

Agreement followed that statement quickly in a rush.

Apperation did not work as they rapidly discovered, by way of the Weasley twins. They all tried however, even Hermione and Harry, using her wand, despite their rudimentary knowledge. Lee Jordan nearly splinched himself.

In the end they started at Yami, asking him if he thought he understood the concepts well enough to try and knew the limits of his magic if he had to pull back. He had nodded quietly, mentally trying asking if Yugi had any idea on how to get out. Their attempt failed as well, and as realty snapped backed, he felt the grip of the shadow realm all the more keenly.

Leaving them to pressure Neville into trying, he slipped away towards the prone bodies of Ryou and Malik. Ginny had been sitting quietly beside them while he had been talking. She shrugged as he came near, indicating that there had been change.

He nodded back, but still checked them. Both were fine, and still stunned.

"It's 'Ennervate.'" Ginny offered quietly.

He looked at her.

"To wake them up," She added, flustered. "It's the same wand pattern as a stunner."

"Ah." He drew pout his wand and made the pattern a few times, making sure that he had it right. Mispronounced syllables and the wrong movement resulted in spectacular misfires as Ryou had discovered one evening, and the others had subsequently experienced.

Ginny finally nodded at his practice attempts and with determination coming from Yugi in waves (he was not eager to find out how a spell went wrong in the shadow realm), Yami in-canted the spell.

Malik's eyes snapped open and he stiffened.

Yami placed a hand on his shoulder and drew his attention to him.

Malik let out a longer breath and took in another deep one as he levered himself into a sitting position. "Give me a moment; just give me a moment. A moment."

Yami shifted into a less intimidating pose, and Ginny scooted closer.

Malik paid no mind to them, his eyes once again closed. "It was_ him."_

"But--"

"He's not gone, Yami!" Malik cut him off angrily. "Only repressed. I was distracted, he came through"

"Any reason we're here?" Yami asked, not bothering to ask more about Yami Malik's sudden reintroduction to the game. To upset Malik further might trigger him again.

"Here?" Malik blinked. "Here. We're all here," he said, looking first at Ginny and then the other small clumps students centered around those arguing about apperation, and then to the lurking shadows. "What happened to him?" he asked, indicating Bakura.

"Not sure. He started cursing out the wizard--"

"I thought he was, but I didn't recognize most of the words."

"I'm not surprised, they're not something that would be written down," a flushed crept up Yami's neck and he stood. "So, we're here, and we need out soon."

"I can feel the monsters almost strong enough to manifest," Malik said, also standing. "They're feeding off the fear."

"Yes, And the fear has been steadily increasing," he added.

As if to punctuate his statement, Neville yelled at Hermione, something incomprehensible, in protest to the apperation that he was being pressured intro. The note of hysteria in his voice was easily caught.

"I'll try. Do it." Malik gritted his teeth and withdrew the Sennen Rod from the belt loop on his robes, and began to concentrate on the rod and the magic it contained, as well as the power around him and within himself. The shadows stilled and then twisted dramatically. Then they froze and fade away, but not before the world inverted one last time.

The great hall spun back around them once again, the structure visible instantly and the Gryffindors could at last feel the ground beneath there feet and the stirrings of air again. At this, they could see and hear the great turmoil. Around them, professors had gathered, and the other students were in such a pandemonium, not even the house lines were dissecting among those left. An almost hush fell, as the Gryffindors stared back, and then the cacophony began with harsh whispers and then yelling followed nipping at its heels.

Calls for order were lost in the screaming and tears, as well as the rumor. Professors yelled, but the noise swept all understandable sound away.

Yami felt a silent question from Yugi and gladly focused inward.

_/Do you want me to take over?/_

_//It would be best if you waited.//_

_/True, we should wait before we crash. You should check on Bakura and see if he is alright./_

Yami sent wordless agreement, before approaching Bakura silently, mentally going over the instructions from Ginny. Standard stunning pattern, with Ennervate. To his satisfaction the spell worked.

Ryou sat up slowly. He blinked, dazed. "Yugi? What happened? Oh, it's you, Yami."

"The spirit of the Ring attacked us after we were taken to the shadow realm," he said, letting no emotion leak through.

"The Shadow Realm?" Ryou face filled with panic and a hand snatched out to grab Yami's robe fount. "Was anyone, was... Did he... Was there a dark game?"

"I was hoping that you would know. There was no dark game. Everyone is safe."

Ryou released Yami's robe, and sank back down, his gaze firmly focused on the floor. "That's good." His mumble was almost inaudible above the cacophony.

_/It's not just you, Yami. He is acting a little different than usual. I think that spell might have effected him more then we thought./_

_//Perhaps more so then that spell is supposed to, what ever it was.//_

He felt Yugi's own agreement. They would look it up later. Ryou seemed to be fine, as did his other side, but both were moodier to say the least. But they were all alive and Yugi believed that injuries could be healed.

All light disappeared in the great hall with a giant clap of noise, and then refocused as an almost spot-like effect on Dumbledore.

The din quieted and conversation stilled before silence reigned.

"Thank you. If the prefects of all house but Gryffindor would please lead their houses back to the dorms now..."

Some light began to reappear, and in the dim lighting, calls from harried prefects began, and students began to mill into almost formed lines.

"You will be updated on the situation later, by the head of your house. The house areas will be in lock down mode immediately following your arrival," Dumbledore waved his wand in a small arc, as the student's filed out. The Hall brightened considerably, back to normal levels.

He turned his attention to the Gryffindors, dismissing the last vestiges of the spell. His face was closed and his eyes burning with another kind of light. "Are you all here?"

"Yes," said Patricia Stimpson, a seventh year prefect for Gryffindor.

"Y-yeah, everyone is here, and they didn't single out anyone, so I doubt that any of us is..." Kenneth Towler, the other seventh year prefect said, gulping as words failed him. He then swallowed visibly, looking as if he just wanted to hide now.

"Under polyjuice, illusion, or imperioed, " McGonagall crisply finished. "Are you positive?"

"It looked like we might all have died for a while but, we're... we're all here." His eyes were wide and the whites were beginning to show. He was panicking.

"Go up to the tower then. Once you get there, lock down will begin," McGonagall said crisply, but then her eyes softened. "You all were very brave. Just being alive and here shows that."

Kenneth nodded shakily. "Alright then. C'mon everyone."

The trip through the halls was nervous, with the older students forming a rough ring around the younger in a protective stance, wands ready. They bodily shoved younger back into center if they strayed too far out of their circle. This only served to frighten them further, and one fourth year had a minor panic attack, refusing to move until her older bother carried her. Jena and Colin both nearly fell off one of the moving staircases when it swung suddenly, leaving the landing. When Peeves had come crackling down the corridor, many were convinced they were really going to die.

At last they final reached the portrait of the Fat Lady. It had taken nearly double the normal amount of time.

Hermione began to count heads, as another prefect began to ask each year if all their year-mates were there. The other prefects consulted with the Fat Lady, in quite hush.

The portrait door crept open slowly, the creaking of the old hinges echoing in the hallway. A girl laughed nervously, with a forced smile.

The only light illuminating the common room was from the soft glow of the wands. While _lumos_ was perfect for lighting up a short area as bright as day, it had no distance to it. The portal hole was small, and even the fire burned down to the barest of embers.

"Of course it's dark, it's always dark. I'm not going in!" yelled the forth year on her brother's back, being to become hysterical again. "It's, it's bloody dark in there. Please don't let it be bloody dark. Courage," she began swaying wildly, almost falling to the floor, "Gryffindors! Hah!"

"I'll go in," Harry offered quickly. Fumbling his way in the dark, he finally found a candle, and blew on the wick. The candle lit itself.

The previously dark common room slowly lit, and Harry then lit several of the candles around the common room. Slowly, other stole in and began to light other candles. A prefect, Patricia went over to the supple cabinet and pulled out several more bundles of candles and those too were lit. George threw all the wood into the fireplace before conjuring up a further heap of logs. Fred shot an incendiary spell and a roaring fire instantly began to heat the common room.

"The cushions..." Ginny said, almost hesitantly.

"Yes, go get the cushions," Patricia said.

Hermione was halfway up the stairs to the girls dormitories before Ginny had finished nodding. A soft thump was followed by another and then several more. Cushions began to roll and bounce down the stairs, shortly followed by blankets. Neville and Malik raid another one of the bathrooms for clean towels, figuring the largest could be used for further cushioning.

A second year tried to open a window, but finding it locked or jammed, carefully slipped the tip of his wand to a crack on the side and sent out a ball of light into the dark. Fred found another, larger crack in the glass of a window and began to feed lit candles out of it, while his twin levitated them, lighting up the darkness outside. While it was still a pitch black sky, it was a pitch black sky relieved by specks of light, the candles floating in the air.

Seamus revealed a large collection of his sweets and someone had enough sense to begin to conjure mugs of hot chocolate and tea.

"Lee," called out Fred, as he sent out one of last candles, "Tell that story about your Grandmother and that parrot of yours."

Lee looked at him, half crouched over a cup of cocoa. "But..."

"It starts out on when your dad thought that your sister had hexed you," George added helpfully.

"No," Lee said slowly, but gaining confidence. "It starts when Grandmama thought that every boy needed a dog." He began to tell the story, gradually becoming more animated and by the end of it, with Fred and George egging him on, he'd been using the parrot (which he had brought with him to Hogwarts, fearing for its eyes if he hadn't) as a live aide.

A seventh year followed him, becoming the central point for the room as she told about a rude sales attendant and how she had ended up in a French pig-sty with him.

Her friend who created an illusion of a pig at the most opportune time in the story began to create more fantastical ones such as dragons in cheery colors and birds with impossible long glowing tails around the ceiling.

As the younger years began to fall asleep, lulled by the soft laughter that had finally begun, rather then harsher, forced laughter that had followed; Fred and George began to pass around a bottle of fire-whiskey. Hermione, Yugi, and others had frowned disapproving, but held their tongues. A few of the candles had begun to sputter and die, but the others that had been lit for the first time that night had a few hours yet. They wouldn't last to dawn though. The fire had burned down from its initial flaming and now crackled merrily.

"You said something about batteries earlier," Malik asked, making the first reference to the events of earlier that night.

Yugi blinked slowly. "Yeah..."

"I want to duel. Now."

Yugi began to recede and let Yami take over.

"No," Malik said so sharply that the common room started, unnerved again. People were edging for their wands. "I want to play _you_, Yugi. I'm too jumpy to play the other rule system right now."

Yugi easily decoded Malik's words. "Let me go get them."

A few people watched avidly as Yugi ran back down the stairs, in his arms the two duel disks and the charged batteries. He quickly pushed the batteries into the slot and was reward with a click and a whirring sound as they locked into place.

He tossed one to Malik who flipped the power on.

"What _are_ those?" asked Colin, his camera at the ready.

"A game system," Malik said.

"It's really quite interesting to watch," Ron said. "But it's muggle--"

Yugi turned on his disk and nodded at Malik. The two system snapped into battle mode, the tray appearing in synchronization.

"--Which supposedly don't work at Hogwarts, according to Hermione and _Hogwarts: A History_."

Hermione glared.

Gasps were herd from many of the students as the monsters first appeared. As the Mystical Elf was flipped up from defensive mode, but held, a few cheered.

Despite the tensions between the others, the game between Yugi and Malik was impersonal. The usual sneers and insults, posturing and posing disappeared; they only played, letting tension flow out of them. Their attacks weren't vicious, and nor where their tactics.

The other students had great fun watching, and many questions were called out until Yugi rattled off few lines of truly technical information.

"Muggles," he finished, using the word with great diastase --there_ had_ to be a better term, "Do not need magic to survive and have created their own ways to survive without it. In terms of comfort, both wizards and muggles are about equal."

Malik raised an eyebrow, challenging the validity of the statement, but only played another card.

Yugi sighed, and flipped over his trap. Malik did have a point, however, many seemed to think that muggles were in another species entirely. As exampled by the so-called dark lord.

He hoped Ryou was alright up in the dorm, where he had retreated to.

He was drawing a card, about to sacrifice Kuriboh and the Celtic Guardian to play the Dark Magician when the portrait door began to open.

Instantly, half the room was on their feet, wands being fumbled and pointed at the door.

No one had been able to budge the windows, or the door out all night long, though attempts had been made. They did not know who could come through the door, and given the events of earlier, none of them doubted that the dark lord had returned. It was not inconceivable for him to make a play at attacking the school after nearly killing them all.

McGonagall, raised an eyebrow, and then smiled as she closed the door behind her. "You are Gryffindors."

Yugi wondered if it was a good or a bad thing that the remark was perfectly sensible.

"However, you need not to worry. Lock-down allows only a head of house or the headmaster to open the portrait door. Even if the Fat Lady wanted to let some one else in, she couldn't. She will only open to current Gryffindors, and she will not open from the inside. You are safe in lock-down mode."

Robes rustled as several students sat down.

McGonagall pushed up her glasses with one hand, before continuing. "Aurors were fire-called as soon as you disappeared. About ten minutes after you returned--"

"Ten!?"

"But we were gone like an hour!"

"Quiet," Harry roared.

"About ten minutes after you returned, a team of hit wizards arrived. Three men. They tracked the portkey to an empty forest. They found no evidence of magic having been preformed recently."

Meaningfully glances were exchanged by a few, but no one dared to whisper.

"They believe that it was a Halloween prank." McGonagall met their gazes, eyes giving them permission. She was acknowledging them as equals, if only for that night. They really had stood against the dark lord and deserved that much.

The older students only stared at McGonagall. It was late in the night, and many of the younger students had dropped to sleep, and those who were up, shrank towards comfort. A flurry of whispers, and dark mutterings rushed through, but subsided.

"They are not even bothering with further questioning, as they have found nothing odd or unexplainable. There are absolutely no traces of dark magic, and the portkey is one that a sixth year could do with motivation. Your parents have been informed of the events tonight, and the findings of the hit wizards. And if I see any fire whiskey, they will be informed off that, as well."

Fred blinked, before shoving the bottle of whisky behind his back.

Yugi waited a moment for McGonagall to leave or continue with her announcements.

She sat down, and settled into the chair, intending to stay. "Now what is that you're doing? I have never seen illusions like these."

"Uh," Malik began.

"They're not illusions," both Hermione and Yugi said. Yugi nodded at Hermione, letting her continue. When he started using the technical terms, the wizards had become confused.

"They're muggle equivalent, holograms. Of course, it's impossible for muggle technology to work here, just like it's impossible to apparate here, or survive the killing curse. So, they _obviously_ cannot be holograms." No one was quite sure by the end of her statement what she was mocking, though it was clear by her tone she was mocking something.

"I see..." McGonagall slowly stood. "How very interesting."

"We use it for a game," Malik offered, becoming disquieted by her intense interest.

She nodded, and after a whispered conference with a prefect, she left.

Yugi exchanged an unnerved look with Malik.

Then turning his attention back to the game, he sacrificed the monsters for the Dark Magician and attacked. Malik drew.

* * *

Much, much, later that night, the fire had burned down once again to the barest of coals and the candles had flickered and flared brightly, before burning themselves out. The common room was covered by sleeping bodies. It was the darkest of the night, the time after mid-night, but before the predawn light was seen Harry dreamed. 

_He dreamed of screams._

_He dreamed of blood coated hands, holding a knife with no remorse. _

_Of cries echoing into nothing._

_Of acts unimaginable and all too real flashing before him. _

_Of the sadness he himself felt. _

_Of red eyes._

_And he dreamed with in his dream, seeing memories that could not be his own. Time spent traveling and waiting echoed in thoughts, and he was waited down with a feeling of weight. He fell down wards, spiraling into no pattern. _

_His study around him was lit only by the fireplace. Books where strewn across the room with half inked parchments beside them. The designs were archaic and written in ink cut with blood. This was one to summon a minor demon, and that one to summon a dark spirit. This one had the cost of a libation of old wine and that of a life. _

_And they were all worthless._

_Voldemort's eyes narrowed and his hands stilled. Weather they be demons who had come to play among the mortals, or vampires feeling out the situation for their clan or even fellow dark wizards, this was useless. He doubted the last one. One could not survive the killing curse by the power of love or light no matter what the doddering old fools said. Only Potter had survived it._

_What ever they were, one fact remained, They were not his; not his men, not under his control. It was likely they were too dangerous to coercion, unless they had an unimaginable prefect weakness. _

_However--_

_Everyone had their enemies, their weaknesses. It was just a matter of finding them_

He didn't scream as he woke, or whimper. He lay still in his bed, cold sweat trickling down. His breathing felt shallow, but it was fast and furious.

Harry realized that he was hyperventilating blurry.

He brought his hands to his face, intending to hold his head between and try not to scream, but instead stared at his hands; they were his, calloused but pale, hangnails and all. They were not long and crept like spiders. They had not killed more people then he had ever seen in his life. He was not Voldemort. He was Harry Potter. It was only a dream, perhaps caused by his scar, or the night he had had.

Then why did he know of the darkest of demons? How did he even know demons were real?

A fragment of a leering grimace lit by fire and caked with blood surfaced.

He barely made it to the bathroom, but staring at the boy in the mirror, with blood-shot eyes staring back at him, he forgot the lingering image. Under messily black hair was his scar, an angry, feverish red. It and his eyes were the only relief for the monochrome of his skin and hair. He was pale.

Hissing whispers and almost sobs echoed in the bathroom. Harry gripped the edge of the sink as he heard them become louder, the words indistinct. He swayed slightly, willing away the memories. He was not going to go mad.

Then he saw the twins. One was almost crying as he gripped the other's arm, his knuckles white. The other looked out the window, but tears were running freely down his face.

He wasn't the only one upset.

Harry wasn't only in having problems.

He left, going back to the dormitory, not having the heart to further intrude.

Demons had never been covered in Defense Against the Dark Arts. Hermione had never mentioned them, nor had Ron made a reference to them in the passing. There were many things that Muggles had elaborated on, such as fairies. Demons were a Muggle creation. They had tried to lump several magical creatures together, possibly along with a dark wizard, and came up with a name for it.

Ryou was in the common room, Harry noted. With ease, he picked his way over the field of bodies, not stirring anyone from their rest. Harry nearly stumbled over several people and even woke up Neville, or at least enough for him to mumble something unintelligible, that Harry tried to make sense of, crouching beside him. When he stood, satisfied that Neville was sleeping, Ryou had vanished.

Yugi's bed hangings were drawn shut, but Malik was playing with his cards, not bothering to greet Harry.

Which Harry assured himself was perfectly normal.

* * *

AN: My LJ is http:// stel la wind.live jour m / 

Also, I've recently have started to write co-write another YGO fic (that is not a crossover) called Or Something Like It. You can find it on my profile.

Thank you for reading and please review!


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